PCR-ELISA Helps Spot Invasive Aspergillosis French researchers

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PCR-ELISA Helps Spot Invasive Aspergillosis

http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=9475

By

Marietta,GA

NEW YORK MAR 08, 2006 (Reuters Health) - Screening for Aspergillus

flavus and A. Fumigatus DNA by means of PCR-ELISA helps detect

invasive aspergillosis in patients with hematologic malignancies

such as leukemia, French researchers report in the March 1st issue

of the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

The technique, lead investigator Dr. e Florent told Reuters

Health " could be incorporated into the routine invasive

aspergillosis diagnosis strategy. Positivity may lead to an early

diagnosis and negativity may lead to exclusion of such a diagnosis. "

Dr. Florent of Hotel-Dieu, Paris and colleagues studied 201 patients

with hematologic malignancies, of whom 106 died. Mortality was

significantly higher in patients with invasive aspergillosis (65.4%)

than in those without (47.9%).

Overall, 1205 serum samples from 167 patients were prospectively

evaluated for aspergillosis by PCR-ELISA. When two consecutive

positive samples were used, the sensitivity was 63.6%, the

specificity was 89.7%, the positive predictive value was 63.6% and

the negative predictive value was 89.7%.

When the PCR-ELISA approach was combined with an assay for the

circulating fungal antigen galactomannan, sensitivity increased to

83.3%, specificity fell to 69.8%, and the negative predictive value

rose to 97.6%.

Thus the researchers conclude that in addition to galactomannan

screening and radiological surveillance, PCR-ELISA " may improve the

rates of early diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis and the

management of patients with hematological malignancies. "

SOURCE:

J Infect Dis 2006;193:741-747.