Microbiological diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis
Background: Invasive aspergillosis is an important opportunistic fungal infection in highly immunocompromised patients. Clinical diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis remains difficult in that clinical signs and symptoms are nonspecific. Radiologic findings are not pathognomonic but can be suggestive....
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Slovenian Medical Association
2010-10-01
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| Series: | Zdravniški Vestnik |
| Online Access: | http://vestnik.szd.si/index.php/ZdravVest/article/view/312 |
| _version_ | 1811289042225987584 |
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| author | Saša Simčič Tadeja Matos |
| author_facet | Saša Simčič Tadeja Matos |
| author_sort | Saša Simčič |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Invasive aspergillosis is an important
opportunistic fungal infection in highly immunocompromised
patients. Clinical diagnosis
of invasive aspergillosis remains difficult in that
clinical signs and symptoms are nonspecific. Radiologic
findings are not pathognomonic but can
be suggestive. The isolation of aspergilli from a
normally sterile environment, which lacks sensitivity,
usually represents a problem. Blood cultures
are of limited utility, because the recovery
of Aspergillus species from blood cultures invariably
represents contamination. Early diagnosis is
critical to a medical treatment, but is difficult to
achieve with current methods. Measurement of
galactomannan and β-D-glucan can be used as
an aid in the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis
and it might promote a favourable outcome. The
use of polymerase-chain-reaction assay (PCR),
although promising, is currently investigational.
Conclusions: The verification of aspergillosis
requires isolation and microscopic analysis of
sterile material showing the fungal structures.
Non-culture-based mycological tests, especially
assays for the detection of Aspergillus galactomannan
and β-D-glucan in serum, or Aspergillus
galactomannan in BAL and cerebrospinal fluid
specimens are fit to convey useful information
and may enable a diagnosis of probable invasive
aspergillosis. We may hope that PCR will be improved
enough to overcome the limitations of
current methods and be developed into a better
diagnostic modality for this disease. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T03:46:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-616671a6e5e34290bb658ddfb1ca81a1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1318-0347 1581-0224 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T03:46:51Z |
| publishDate | 2010-10-01 |
| publisher | Slovenian Medical Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Zdravniški Vestnik |
| spelling | doaj.art-616671a6e5e34290bb658ddfb1ca81a12022-12-22T03:03:58ZengSlovenian Medical AssociationZdravniški Vestnik1318-03471581-02242010-10-017910204Microbiological diagnosis of invasive aspergillosisSaša SimčičTadeja MatosBackground: Invasive aspergillosis is an important opportunistic fungal infection in highly immunocompromised patients. Clinical diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis remains difficult in that clinical signs and symptoms are nonspecific. Radiologic findings are not pathognomonic but can be suggestive. The isolation of aspergilli from a normally sterile environment, which lacks sensitivity, usually represents a problem. Blood cultures are of limited utility, because the recovery of Aspergillus species from blood cultures invariably represents contamination. Early diagnosis is critical to a medical treatment, but is difficult to achieve with current methods. Measurement of galactomannan and β-D-glucan can be used as an aid in the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis and it might promote a favourable outcome. The use of polymerase-chain-reaction assay (PCR), although promising, is currently investigational. Conclusions: The verification of aspergillosis requires isolation and microscopic analysis of sterile material showing the fungal structures. Non-culture-based mycological tests, especially assays for the detection of Aspergillus galactomannan and β-D-glucan in serum, or Aspergillus galactomannan in BAL and cerebrospinal fluid specimens are fit to convey useful information and may enable a diagnosis of probable invasive aspergillosis. We may hope that PCR will be improved enough to overcome the limitations of current methods and be developed into a better diagnostic modality for this disease.http://vestnik.szd.si/index.php/ZdravVest/article/view/312 |
| spellingShingle | Saša Simčič Tadeja Matos Microbiological diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis Zdravniški Vestnik |
| title | Microbiological diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis |
| title_full | Microbiological diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis |
| title_fullStr | Microbiological diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microbiological diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis |
| title_short | Microbiological diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis |
| title_sort | microbiological diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis |
| url | http://vestnik.szd.si/index.php/ZdravVest/article/view/312 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sasasimcic microbiologicaldiagnosisofinvasiveaspergillosis AT tadejamatos microbiologicaldiagnosisofinvasiveaspergillosis |