Comparison of an enzyme immunoassay and a latex agglutination system for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in bone marrow transplant recipients

Bone Marrow Transplant. 1998 May;21(9):917-21. doi: 10.1038/sj.bmt.1701206.

Abstract

The performance of two Aspergillus antigenemia systems, the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Platelia Aspergillus test, and the latex agglutination (LA), Pastorex Aspergillus test, in the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis were compared by testing 364 serum samples from 22 bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients. Sensitivity and specificity for the ELISA test were 60% and 82% respectively, vs 40% and 94% for the LA test. In the two patients found positive with both methods, the ELISA test became positive earlier than the LA test or remained positive after the LA test had become negative. These results encourage further evaluation of the Platelia Aspergillus test, to assess its role in the management of invasive aspergillosis in BMT patients.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Fungal / blood
  • Aspergillosis / diagnosis*
  • Aspergillosis / etiology*
  • Aspergillosis / microbiology
  • Aspergillus / isolation & purification
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / statistics & numerical data
  • Galactose / analogs & derivatives
  • Humans
  • Latex Fixation Tests / methods*
  • Latex Fixation Tests / statistics & numerical data
  • Lung Diseases, Fungal / diagnosis*
  • Lung Diseases, Fungal / etiology*
  • Lung Diseases, Fungal / microbiology
  • Male
  • Mannans / blood
  • Prospective Studies
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Antigens, Fungal
  • Mannans
  • galactomannan
  • Galactose