title: Occurrence and kinetics of false-positive Aspergillus galactomannan test results following treatment with beta-lactam antibiotics in patients with hematological disorders.
abstract: Several reports have described a high rate of false-positive Aspergillus galactomannan (GM) test results for patients treated with piperacillin-tazobactam. In this retrospective study, we first examined the relationships between intravenous administration of three beta-lactam antibiotics and the occurrence of false-positive GM test results in hematology patients. We then estimated the kinetics of clearance of GM after the cessation of treatment. Sequential serum samples from 69 patients that had received beta-lactams were analyzed by using a Platelia Aspergillus test. A significant association was found between GM positivity (>/=0.5) and the administration of beta-lactams (P < 0.0001). The direct role of beta-lactams in patients' serum positivity was assessed by testing 39 batches of beta-lactams, of which 27 were positive for GM. None of the latter were positive according to a fungus- and Aspergillus-specific PCR. The kinetics of the decrease of GM was analyzed on sequential serum samples obtained after treatment. By use of a nonlinear regression model, the average time to negative antigen was assessed to be 5.5 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.1 to [7.0]), with a half-life of elimination of GM of 2.4 days (95% CI, 1.8 to 3.0). This study confirms that the administration of beta-lactams containing GM is responsible for false-positive diagnostic results, even up to 5 days after the cessation of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, 1 Avenue Claude Vellefaux, 75475 Paris Cedex 10, France.
authors.forename: Alban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aubry
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Porcher
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bottero
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Touratier
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leblanc
authors.forename: Benoît
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brethon
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rousselot
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raffoux
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Menotti
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Derouin
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ribaud
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sulahian
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000097:blood; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D005690:Galactose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008351:Mannans / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047090:beta-Lactams / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D008351:Mannans; D047090:beta-Lactams; C012990:galactomannan; D005690:Galactose