title: Galactomannan enzyme immunoassay and quantitative Real Time PCR as tools to evaluate the exposure and response in a rat model of aspergillosis after posaconazole prophylaxis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A steroid-immunosuppressed rat model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis was use to examine the usefulness of galactomannan enzyme immunoassay (GM) and quantitative real time PCR (RT-PCR) in evaluating the association between response and exposure after a high dose of prophylactic posaconazole.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two different strains of Aspergillus fumigatus with different in vitro posaconazole susceptibility were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum concentrations demonstrated similar posaconazole exposure for all treated animals. However, response to posaconazole relied on the in vitro susceptibility of the infecting strain. After prophylaxis, galactomannan index and fungal burden only decreased in those animals infected with the most susceptible strain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that both biomarkers may be useful tools for predicting efficacy of antifungal compounds in prophylaxis.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cendejas-Bueno
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Agustina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forastiero
authors.affiliation: Hospital Vall d'Hebrón, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mellado
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: María José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Buitrago
authors.affiliation: Hospital Vall d'Hebrón, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gavaldà
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: aliciagl@isciii.es.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gomez-Lopez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005690:Galactose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008351:Mannans / Q000097:blood*; D055732:Pulmonary Aspergillosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051381:Rats; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D014230:Triazoles / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D008351:Mannans; D014230:Triazoles; C012990:galactomannan; C101425:posaconazole; D005690:Galactose
keywords: Antifungal prophylaxis; Carga fúngica; Fungal burden; Galactomanano; Galactomannan; Modelo de rata inmunodeprimida con esteroides; Profilaxis antifúngica; Steroid-immunosuppressed rat model