title: Clinical and serological survey of pulmonary aspergillosis in patients with cystic fibrosis.
abstract: A 5.5-year survey revealed 9 patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and 1 patient with a highly probable diagnosis among 200 Danish patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The incidence of ABPA was 0.9 (0.4-1.7, 95% confidence limits) per 100 patients per year. All the patients with definite or probable ABPA had serum antibodies to the Aspergillus fumigatus catalase antigen, and in 5 patients the appearance of catalase antibodies during the incipient phase of ABPA was documented. 29 patients without ABPA also had catalase antibodies, but in lower levels than ABPA patients (p = 0.006). The 6-month prevalence rate of A. fumigatus in sputum was 80 and 72% in the 2 groups, respectively. The finding of catalase antibodies in some CF patients without ABPA may indicate the occurrence of a symptom-poor form of pulmonary aspergillosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schønheyder
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Høiby
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000276:immunology; D001229:Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002374:Catalase / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications*; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000150:complications; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D002374:Catalase