Diagnostic performance of 1→3-β-d-glucan in neonatal and pediatric patients with Candidemia.
Fungal sepsis is one of the major problems in neonatal and pediatric care unit settings. The availability of new diagnostic techniques could allow medical practitioners to rapidly identify septic patients and to improve their outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the 1→3-β-d-glucan (BDG), individually and in comparison with the Candida mannan (CM) antigen, in ten preterm infants and five onco-haematological pediatric patients with Candida bloodstream infections already proven by positive culture. The serum levels of BDG were >80 pg/mL on the same day as a positive blood culture in all examined patients, while CM antigen was negative in the patients with C. parapsilosis fungemia and in one further case due to C. albicans. These results suggest that a regular monitoring of serum circulating antigens (i.e., 1→3-β-d-glucan) combined with other microbiological and clinical information, may allow earlier and accurate diagnosis. However, further studies are necessary to confirm its usefulness in routine clinical practice.
Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology-Hygiene Section, University of Bari, "Aldo Moro", Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; E-Mails:  catiacoretti@yahoo.it  (C.C.);  raz.ro@tiscali.it  (G.L.);  osvaldadegiglio@tiscali.it  (O.D.G.);  caggianog@igiene.uniba.it  (G.C.).
Maria Teresa
MT
Montagna
Caterina
C
Coretti
Grazia
G
Lovero
Osvalda
O
De Giglio
Osvaldo
O
Montagna
Nicola
N
Laforgia
Nicola
N
Santoro
Giuseppina
G
Caggiano
D000293:Adolescent; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000097:blood*; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology; D058387:Candidemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011509:Proteoglycans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000097:blood*
D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D011509:Proteoglycans; D047071:beta-Glucans; C010770:polysaccharide-K