title: Aspergillus detection in bronchoscopically acquired material. Significance and interpretation.
abstract: Pulmonary invasive aspergillosis is frequently difficult to diagnose. In particular, the value of the cultivation of Aspergillus and the Aspergillus galactomannan antigen detection (Pastorex) in bronchoscopically acquired material (bronchoalveolar lavage = BAL, bronchial lavage = BL) in the course of diagnosing this mycosis is viewed controversially. Between January 1996 and September 1999, we obtained 114 positive results in 100 bronchoscopically aquired specimens from a total of 69 patients. 59 of the 69 patients were immunosuppressed, 42 suffered from pulmonary aspergillosis and 38 suffered from invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. The positive prediction rate for a positive result with regard to pulmonary aspergillosis in bronchoscopically acquired material was approximately 61%. Cultivation of Aspergillus was more successful in BAL, and the Aspergillus antigen detection was more successful in BL.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik I, Abteilung Pneumologie, Universität Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Seyfarth
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nenoff
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krahl
authors.forename: U F
authors.initials: UF
authors.lastname: Haustein
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schauer
mesh_terms: D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage; D005690:Galactose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D008351:Mannans / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D008351:Mannans; C012990:galactomannan; D005690:Galactose