title: Development and application of a rapid diagnostic method for invasive Candidiasis by the detection of D-/L-arabinitol using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.
abstract: A rapid non-culture-based diagnostic method utilizing d-/l-arabinitol (DA/LA) ratios as a chemical marker of invasive candidiasis was developed and explored. The enantiomers-ratios detection was made possible by the use of gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The mean DA/LA ratios +/- standard deviation (range) in urine (n = 40) and serum (n = 20) were 2.08 +/- 0.78 (0.57 to 3.55) and 1.79 +/- 0.75 (0.74 to 3.54), respectively, from patients without evidence of fungal infection or colonization; in patients (n = 7) with culture-proven invasive candida infections, the figures were 9.91 +/- 3.04 (7.24 to 16.27) and 13.58 +/- 7.31 (5.57 to 25.88) in urine and serum, respectively. The differences in DA/LA ratios between the candidemic patients and the non-candidemic patients were statistically significant (p < 0.01) in both serum and urine samples. The DA/LA ratios were not significantly affected in patients with oral or vaginal candidiasis and candiduria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, SAR, China. mamiehui@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Mamie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Siu-Wai
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Miu-Ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Kai-Cheong
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Raphael Chiu-Yeung
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Augustine Fun-Bun
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D016469:Fungemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013402:Sugar Alcohols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D013402:Sugar Alcohols