title: Molecular Diagnostic Testing for Aspergillus.
abstract: The direct detection of Aspergillus nucleic acid in clinical specimens has the potential to improve the diagnosis of aspergillosis by offering more rapid and sensitive identification of invasive infections than is possible with traditional techniques, such as culture or histopathology. Molecular tests for Aspergillus have been limited historically by lack of standardization and variable sensitivities and specificities. Recent efforts have been directed at addressing these limitations and optimizing assay performance using a variety of specimen types. This review provides a summary of standardization efforts and outlines the complexities of molecular testing for Aspergillus in clinical mycology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Clinical Microbiology Division, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.|Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, ARUP Laboratories, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Powers-Fletcher
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Clinical Microbiology Division, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA kim.hanson@hsc.utah.edu.|Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, ARUP Laboratories, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.|Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Hanson
mesh_terms: D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal