title: Evaluation of plasma (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan measurement by the kinetic turbidimetric Limulus test, for the clinical diagnosis of mycotic infections.
abstract: The present multicentre clinical study was conducted to assess the clinical utility of a new diagnostic method for deep mycosis in which (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan, a fungal cell wall component existing in plasma, was quantitatively measured by the kinetic turbidimetric Limulus test (WB003). Plasma (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan concentrations were 0.57 +/- 0.10 microgram/l in 92 healthy subjects and 0.62 +/- 0.32 microgram/l in 26 patients with non-mycotic diseases (disease control group). In comparison with these healthy subjects and patients with non-mycotic diseases, patients with mycosis had significantly higher plasma (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan concentrations: 19.63 +/- 73.28 micrograms/l in 12 patients with candidaemia, 11.28 +/- 21.42 micrograms/l in 7 patients with urinary Candida infection, 4.84 +/- 12.71 micrograms/l in 5 patients with pulmonary candidiasis, and 12.21 +/- 31.31 micrograms/l in 4 patients with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. On the statistical analysis of these data, a cut-off value was set at 1.0 microgram/l. Using this cut-off value, 3 patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis and 4 patients (4/6) with pulmonary aspergilloma were all negative with low plasma (1-->3-beta-D-glucan levels. The test WB003 provided equivalent or higher efficiency of diagnosis of candidiasis and aspergillosis, in comparison with commercially available antigen detection kits, demonstrating its utility as a diagnostic reagent. It may also be useful in assessing therapeutic effectiveness when used periodically after treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikemoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inada
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitsuya
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokota
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kambayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masaoka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Teshima
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshinaga
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kohno
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D016469:Fungemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D005936:Glucans / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008033:Limulus Test / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009181:Mycoses / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D047071:beta-Glucans
chemical_list: D005936:Glucans; D047071:beta-Glucans; C033363:beta-1,3-glucan