title: Comparison between PCR and detection of antigen in sera for diagnosis of pulmonary aspergillosis.
abstract: We evaluated the usefulness of PCR and antigen detection for the diagnosis of pulmonary aspergillosis. Forty-four serum samples from patients with pulmonary aspergillosis (33 with pulmonary aspergilloma, 4 with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, 4 with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, and 3 with aspergillus pyothorax) were used in this study. PCR detection of Aspergillus DNA in serum samples was successful in 39 patients. Galactomannan antigen was detected by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 25 patients and by latex agglutination test in 13 patients. Detection of Aspergillus DNA in serum samples by nested PCR had the highest sensitivity of the three methods tested for the diagnosis of pulmonary aspergillosis.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maesaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirakata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomono
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tashiro
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kohno
mesh_terms: D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005690:Galactose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D008351:Mannans / Q000276:immunology; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D008351:Mannans; C012990:galactomannan; D005690:Galactose