Antigen detection in the diagnosis and management of a patient with probable cerebral aspergillosis treated with voriconazole

Transpl Infect Dis. 2000 Sep;2(3):140-4. doi: 10.1034/j.1399-3062.2000.020307.x.

Abstract

This report describes the diagnosis and management of a 16-year-old boy who developed neurological signs and symptoms suggestive of cerebral aspergillosis following a haploidentical bone marrow transplant. A new sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of Aspergillus galactomannan circulating antigens (Platelia Aspergillus, Sanofi Diagnostic Pasteur, France) was used on serum and cerebrospinal fluid to obtain a presumptive diagnosis and to monitor the course of the disease. Having failed conventional therapy with amphotericin B, the patient received compassionate treatment with voriconazole for a period of 37 days. High levels of voriconazole were observed in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), with a trend toward accumulation. After 7 days a marked improvement in the patient's neurological symptoms was noted, and ELISA data indicated a corresponding decrease in Aspergillus galactomannan levels in both serum and CSF. Voriconazole was well tolerated, with only transient increases in ALT/AST recorded during therapy. Although the patient survived the acute Aspergillus infection, he subsequently died of an unrelated infection.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Aspergillosis / diagnosis
  • Aspergillosis / drug therapy*
  • Aspergillus / isolation & purification
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Maxillary Sinus / microbiology
  • Neuroaspergillosis / diagnosis
  • Neuroaspergillosis / drug therapy*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / therapy
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacokinetics
  • Pyrimidines / therapeutic use*
  • Triazoles / pharmacokinetics
  • Triazoles / therapeutic use*
  • Voriconazole

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Pyrimidines
  • Triazoles
  • Voriconazole