C Lass-Flörl1, G Lo Cascio2, M Nucci3, M Camargo Dos Santos4, A Lopes Colombo4, M Vossen5, B Willinger5. 1. Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria. Electronic address: cornelia.lass-floerl@i-med.ac.at. 2. Microbiology and Virology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy. 3. Departamento de Clínica Médica, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 4. Division of Infectious Diseases of the Federal University of São Paulo-UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil. 5. Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Proper diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis is challenging because conventional methods lack sensitivity and are complicated by time-consuming incubation processes. To meet the requirement for early diagnosis the new Aspergillus-specific point-of-care test LFA-IMMY™ was evaluated with respect to the ability to accurately detect Aspergillus in bronchoalveolar fluids and sputa, and to clarify the potential of cross-reactivity with other fungal pathogens. METHODS: Respiratory specimens (n = 398) from non-selected patients (n = 390) underwent either fungal microscopy, culture or both before Aspergillus lateral flow assay (LFA-IMMY) testing. RESULTS: For Aspergillus culture- and microscopy-positive samples, sensitivity (48/52) and specificity (44/48) were 92% (95% CI 8.0%-9.7%) and 91% (95% CI 7.9%-9.7%), respectively; cross-reactivity was documented with non-Aspergillus pathogens. CONCLUSION: LFA-IMMY is a reliable diagnostic tool for the detection of Aspergillus in respiratory samples.
OBJECTIVES: Proper diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis is challenging because conventional methods lack sensitivity and are complicated by time-consuming incubation processes. To meet the requirement for early diagnosis the new Aspergillus-specific point-of-care test LFA-IMMY™ was evaluated with respect to the ability to accurately detect Aspergillus in bronchoalveolar fluids and sputa, and to clarify the potential of cross-reactivity with other fungal pathogens. METHODS: Respiratory specimens (n = 398) from non-selected patients (n = 390) underwent either fungal microscopy, culture or both before Aspergillus lateral flow assay (LFA-IMMY) testing. RESULTS: For Aspergillus culture- and microscopy-positive samples, sensitivity (48/52) and specificity (44/48) were 92% (95% CI 8.0%-9.7%) and 91% (95% CI 7.9%-9.7%), respectively; cross-reactivity was documented with non-Aspergillus pathogens. CONCLUSION: LFA-IMMY is a reliable diagnostic tool for the detection of Aspergillus in respiratory samples.
Authors: Toine Mercier; Albert Dunbar; Vincent Veldhuizen; Michelle Holtappels; Alexander Schauwvlieghe; Johan Maertens; Bart Rijnders; Joost Wauters Journal: Crit Care Date: 2020-11-10 Impact factor: 9.097