title: Galactomannan antigen assay from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in intensive care units patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is an important infection in critically ill patients including patients of intensive care units (ICU). Different diagnostic tools are available and since its mortality is high, it is vital to start the antifungal therapy as soon as possible. Knowing the epidemiology of this disease in each ICU and area will help to better and more rapid management of such patients. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of IPA based on the level of galactomannan in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in ICU of Al-Zahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross sectional study, which was conducted in Al-Zahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran, between 2010 to 2011. The study population was all the patients admitted to ICU and were suspected to have invasive Aspergillus spp pneumonia. The level of galactomannan in bronchoalveolar lavage was measured and demographic data were gathered by the questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of IPA in this study was calculated as 2.43% while galactomannan level in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of this patient (2.50) was significantly higher than others (0.03 ± 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Larger studies are required to determine the exact frequency of IPA and the best antifungal therapy for it.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Nosocomial Infection Research center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Farzin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Khorvash
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meidani
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Babaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abbasi
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Behrooz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ataei
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaran
keywords: Aspergillosis; bronchoalveolar lavage; galactomannan; intensive care unit; pneumonia