Marisa H Miceli, Johan Maertens
An established diagnosis of invasive aspergillus is seldom achieved premortem. Conventional laboratory diagnostic methods such as culture and microscopy, although very useful when positive, are insensitive and time-consuming, resulting in late diagnosis and treatment and contributing to high mortality rates. As a result, routine antifungal prophylaxis and early empirical treatment have been recommended. The use of sensitive and rapid non-culture-based diagnostic assays for the detection of Aspergillus antigens (using commercially available tests to detect galactomannan and 1, 3 β-D-glucan) or detection of genomic DNA sequences may allow a shift in emphasis from empirical to preemptive therapy, especially when substantiated by suggestive radiological findings...
October 2015: Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine