• Media type: E-Article
  • Title: Use of Aspergillus fumigatus real-time PCR in bronchoalveolar lavage samples (BAL) for diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis, including azole-resistant cases, in high risk haematology patients: the need for a combined use with galactomannan
  • Contributor: Mikulska, Malgorzata; Furfaro, Elisa; De Carolis, Elena; Drago, Enrico; Pulzato, Ilaria; Borghesi, Maria Lucia; Zappulo, Emanuela; Raiola, Anna Maria; Grazia, Carmen Di; Del Bono, Valerio; Cittadini, Giuseppe; Angelucci, Emanuele; Sanguinetti, Maurizio; Viscoli, Claudio
  • imprint: Oxford University Press (OUP), 2019
  • Published in: Medical Mycology
  • Language: English
  • DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myz002
  • ISSN: 1369-3786; 1460-2709
  • Keywords: Infectious Diseases ; General Medicine
  • Origination:
  • Footnote:
  • Description: <jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA) is challenging, particularly in high-risk patients with lung lesions other than typical according to 2008-EORTC/MSG criteria. Even if microbiology is positive, they still remain unclassified according to 2008-EORTC/MSG. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) provides new mycological documentation of IA. This retrospective study assessed Aspergillus fumigatus real time qPCR (MycoGENIE®) in BAL to diagnose IA and identify azole-resistant strains. Clinical, radiological, and microbiological data from 114 hematology patients (69% HSCT recipients; 29% on mould active agents) from years 2012-2017 were collected; and 123 BAL samples were tested with qPCR (cutoff: Ct &lt; 40) and galactomannan (GM, Platelia®, cutoff: 0.5 ODI). Patients were classified as proven/probable, possible, and no-IA. "Atypical-IA" referred to patients with lesions other than typical according to 2008-EORTC/MSG and positive mycology. Proven IA was diagnosed in two cases (1.6%), probable in 28 (22.8%), possible in 27 (22%), atypical in 14 (11.4%). qPCR was positive in 39 samples (31.7%). Sensitivity and specificity of qPCR for proven/probable IA (vs no-IA; atypical-IA excluded) were 40% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 23–59) and 69% (95%CI: 55–81), respectively. Sensitivity of qPCR was higher when combined with GM (83%, 95%CI: 65–94) and in those receiving mould-active agents at BAL (61%, 95%CI: 32–86). One sample had TR34/L98H mutation. In conclusion, in high-risk hematology patients with various lung lesions, A. fumigatus qPCR in BAL contributes to diagnosing IA, particularly if combined with GM and in patients receiving mould-active agents might allow detecting azole-resistant mutations in culture negative samples.</jats:p>
  • Access State: Open Access