title: Galactomannan enzyme immunoassay for monitoring systemic infection with Aspergillus fumigatus in mice.
abstract: Intravenous (i.v.) infection of immunocompetent mice with Aspergillus fumigatus was used to investigate the ability of a commercial galactomannan enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to monitor the course of organ infection after dissemination. The test detected 100% of the fungemias which occurred for up to 5 days after infection. When blood-cultures became negative but there was a high load of fungi in the parenchymal organs and a positive culture from the brain, the ELISA was again positive in all animals. However, when blood cultures as well as brain cultures were negative and lower amounts of fungi demarcated by immune cells were present in the liver and kidneys which was the case between day 5 and 30 of infection, the test was negative in most of the animals. Therefore, the test was excellent for detection of early i.v. infection with Aspergillus fumigatus but not suited for detection of limited organ infection in immunocompetent mice.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene, Klinikum Mannheim, D-68135, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kretschmar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buchheidt
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hof
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nichterlein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000276:immunology*; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D016469:Fungemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D005690:Galactose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008351:Mannans / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D008351:Mannans; C012990:galactomannan; D005690:Galactose