Development of Novel Real-Time PCR Assays for Detection and Differentiation of Eleven Medically Important
            <i>Aspergillus</i>
            and
            <i>Candida</i>
            Species in Clinical Specimens

Schabereiter-Gurtner, Claudia; Selitsch, Brigitte; Rotter, M.; Hirschl, Alexander M.; Willinger, Birgit

doi:10.1128/jcm.01344-06

Cited by 151 publications

(125 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Many of the published technical approaches based on real-time PCR methods are rapid and sensitive, but their detection spectrum is mostly restricted to a variety of Candida 13,14 or Aspergillus species, 15,16 or representatives of both genera. [17][18][19][20][21] Diagnostic assays permitting the detection of a wide range of fungal pathogens including fungal species of both common and emerging fungal genera are therefore required. To address the urgent clinical need, we have developed a panfungal real-time PCR assay permitting the detection of at least 80 pathogenic fungal species (European patent application 06817468.9).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diagnosis of invasive fungal infections by a real-time panfungal PCR assay in immunocompromised pediatric patients

Landlinger¹,

Preuner²,

Bašková³

et al. 2010

Leukemia

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Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a life-threatening event in immunocompromised patients, and there is an urgent need for reliable screening methods facilitating rapid and broad detection of pathogenic fungi. We have established a two-reaction real-time PCR assay permitting highly sensitive detection of more than 80 fungal pathogens, covering a large spectrum of moulds, yeasts and Zygomycetes. To assess the clinical potential of the assay, more than 600 consecutive specimens from 125 pediatric patients carrying a high risk of IFD were analyzed. An excellent correlation between PCR positivity and the presence of proven, probable or possible fungal infection according to the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer criteria was demonstrated, as revealed by the sensitivity of the assay of 96% (95% CI: 82-99%). The negative predictive value of the panfungal PCR assay presented was 98% (95% CI: 90-100%), while the specificity and the positive predictive value were 77% (95% CI: 66-85%) and 62% (95% CI: 47-75%), respectively. The results indicate that molecular screening of patients during febrile neutropenic episodes by the assay presented could help prevent unnecessary toxicity resulting from empirical antifungal treatment in individuals who may not be at risk of imminent fungal disease. Our observations raise the possibility that rapid species identification may be required to increase the positive predictive value for impending fungus-related disease.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diagnosis of invasive fungal infections by a real-time panfungal PCR assay in immunocompromised pediatric patients

Landlinger¹,

Preuner²,

Bašková³

et al. 2010

Leukemia

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“…Among filamentous fungi A. fumigatus dominated -22.2%. Comparable proportions of yeast-like fungi were obtained by Schabereiter-Gurtner et al In material collected from CF patients, Candida species constituted -64.5%, then filamentous fungi -35.5%, mainly Aspergillus species [15]. Caballero et al also reported the prevalence of yeast-like fungi in the material collected from 35% of CF patients, and filamentous fungi isolated from 4% of patients [17].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…Armstead et al in their study revealed data concerning the prevalence of cystic fibrosis in patients (>18 years) in some European countries, the USA, Australia and Canada [14]. The proportion of adult patients with CF oscillated between approximately 50% in the USA (13,657), France (2,873) and Australia (1,556), and about 60% in Canada (2,238) [14,15]. In Poland, the only available data on the prevalence of CF > 18 years come from the Polish Cystic Fibrosis Working Group (Polska Grupa Robocza Mukowiscydozy), which reports 535 registered patients up to the end of 2012 [16].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fungal Infection of Cystic Fibrosis Patients—Single Center Experience

Garczewska¹,

Kuś²,

Skorupa³

et al. 2016

Advances in Respiratory Medicine

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Introduction: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common monogenetic autosomal recessive disease in the human population. This systemic disease is characterized by changes in multiple organs, mainly in the lung tissue and digestive tract. More than 59% of CF patients become sensitized to fungal spores, mostly Aspergillus fumigatus. 5−15% of CF patients develop allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. The aim of the study was to analyse the occurrence of yeast and filamentous fungi of the respiratory infections in CF patients and evaluation of drug resistance. Material and methods: Between 2006 and 2014, mycological evaluation of 42 patients hospitalized at the National Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases was carried out. Results: 217 specimens from pulmonary tract were collected from 42 patients with cystic fibrosis. 205 (68%) strains of yeast and 96 (32%) filamentous fungi strains were cultured. The most common mould strain was A. fumigatus -22,2% (67 species). All isolates of filamentous fungi were in vitro 100% susceptible to itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole and amphotericin B. Conclusions: A. fumigatus and C. albicans were the most common etiological agents of fungal respiratory pathogens associated with CF patients. A. fumigatus strains were in vitro 100% susceptible to azole and amphotericin B. Two strains of C. albicans and one strain of C.tropicalis were non-susceptible to azole (fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole). Scedosporium apiospermum

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“…As revealed in this study, aspergillosis was confirmed by PCR in patients with negative blood culture results, in accordance with the results by Schabereiter-Gurtner al. (23). The limitation of this study was the lack of using real-time PCR for the detection of fungal pathogens like Fusarium, Alternaria, and Mucor spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Incidence of Fungal Infections in Pediatric Patients with Hematologic Neoplasms

Badiee

Zareifar

Haddadi

et al. 2017

Arch Pediatr Infect Dis

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Background: Fungal infections are one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with hematological disorders. The frequency of these infections has increased during the past decades. Objectives: The rate of fungal infections was investigated in pediatric patients with hematological disorders, using traditional and real-time PCR methods, in order to establish proper management of these patients. Methods: Over a 13-month period, 86 patients with hematological disorders were admitted and were kept under observation for the development of fungal infections. Fungal colonization was determined and clinical samples were examined by direct microscopic examination and culture. Blood specimens were cultured by bedside inoculation into a BACTEC medium. The results of the pathology smear were collected from the patients' records. Real-time PCR was performed on all patients' sera to diagnose invasive candidiasis and aspergillosis. Results: Candida colonization was seen in 42 (48.8%) and oral candidiasis was diagnosed in 7 (8%) patients. The incidence of invasive fungal infections was 16.3% (14/86) with a mortality rate of 50% in pediatric patients. The etiologic agents were Candida albicans in 5 cases, Aspergillus flavus in 3, and Aspergillus fumigatus, Fusarium, Alterneria and Mucor, each in 1 case. In 2 cases with liver abscess, only Candida PCR was positive. Fungemia was observed in 4 patients. Conclusions:The rate of invasive fungal infections in our study was high. Early and accurate detection of these infections could result in a better outcome. In critical ill cases where only blood samples are available, molecular methods such as PCR could be more effective than culture for the detection of etiologic agents.

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Development of Novel Real-Time PCR Assays for Detection and Differentiation of Eleven Medically Important Aspergillus and Candida Species in Clinical Specimens

Cited by 151 publications

References 45 publications

Diagnosis of invasive fungal infections by a real-time panfungal PCR assay in immunocompromised pediatric patients

Diagnosis of invasive fungal infections by a real-time panfungal PCR assay in immunocompromised pediatric patients

Fungal Infection of Cystic Fibrosis Patients—Single Center Experience

Incidence of Fungal Infections in Pediatric Patients with Hematologic Neoplasms

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