Open AccessSerum (1-3)-β- d -Glucan as a Tool for Diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection or Hematological Malignancy
Author(s) -
Stefanie Desmet,
Eric Van Wijngaerden,
Johan Maertens,
Jan Verhaegen,
Eric Verbeken,
Paul De Munter,
Wouter Meersseman,
B. Van Meensel,
Johan Van Eldere,
Katrien Lagrou
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of clinical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.349
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1070-633X
pISSN - 0095-1137
DOI - 10.1128/jcm.01756-09
Subject(s) - pneumocystis jirovecii , pneumonia , pneumocystis pneumonia , immunology , opportunistic infection , aspergillosis , malignancy , pneumocystis carinii , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , immunopathology , medicine , mycosis , pneumocystosis , aids related opportunistic infections , viral disease , biology , sida
(1-3)-β-d -Glucan (BG) reactivity was tested in serum samples from 28 patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection or a hematological malignancy andPneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) and 28 control patients. The sensitivity and specificity of BG detection with the Fungitell assay for PCP were 100 and 96.4%, respectively, using a cutoff value of 100 pg/ml. Serum BG testing looks promising for the noninvasive diagnosis of PCP. Our data suggest that a higher cutoff value for the diagnosis of PCP than for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis or candidiasis could be used safely and will improve the specificity of the test.
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