Serum antibodies toAspergillus fumigatus catalase in patients with cystic fibrosis

Abstract

Seven to ten percent of patients with cystic fibrosis had serum antibodies to the catalase antigen of Aspergillus fumigatus in three cross-sectional surveys between 1977 and 1984. A total of 208 patients participated at least once, and the cumulated frequency of catalase antibodies in 94 patients included in all three surveys was 16%. The titre range was 1 to 16. The prevalence rate of Aspergillus fumigatus in sputum was 50% for a 2.5-year observation period. Catalase antibodies were strongly associated with the occurrence of Aspergillus fumigatus in sputum (p = 0.003), and the microorganism was more numerous in colonized patients with catalase antibodies than in those without such antibodies (p = 0.004). Patients with Aspergillus fumigatus in sputum and a positive catalase antibody test tended to have an adverse development as regards lung function compared to both carriers without antibodies and non-carriers. The observed differences could not, however, be related to different rates of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.

Molecular epidemiology of airway colonisation by Aspergillus fumigatus in cystic fibrosis patients

“…In CF, they are usually found in a minority of patients colonised by A. fumigatus [2,32] and their presence in these patients was shown to be related to decreased pulmonary function [32]. In vitro, all the strains of A. fumigatus from CF patients that were tested for catalase activity by a spectrophotometric assay produced varying levels of the enzyme (unpublished data).…”

Purification and Characterization of a Mycelial Catalase from Scedosporium boydii, a Useful Tool for Specific Antibody Detection in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

“…In addition, regarding patients with CF, the detection of anti-A. fumigatus catalase antibodies has been shown to be associated with a clinical or functional deterioration (47). Because of this and considering the high similarity between the biochemical products of A. fumigatus Cat1 and S. boydii catalase A1, we investigated the potential application of catalase A1 for specific antibody detection in CF patients.…”

Clinical and Serological Survey of Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

“…At each visit, patients were evaluated clinically and, if old enough to cooperate, the lung function was assessed by spirometry. Microbiological examination of sputum included mycological culture at all times (see below) and most patients were investigated for serum antibodies to A. fumiga tus in 1982 and 1984 as part of cross-sectional studies [4,5]. ABPA was suspected in patients with increased bronchial obstruction, and when clinically indicated the following tests were performed: chest X-ray, count of eosinophils in peripheral blood, total serum IgE, skin-prick test and/or radioallergosorbent test (RAST) with A.fu migatus antigen, and serum precipitins to A.fumigatus.…”

“…We have reviewed the medical records of 200 patients attending the Danish CF centre over a 5.5-year period (1982)(1983)(1984)(1985)(1986)(1987) in order to assess the inci dence of ABPA. Moreover, we investigated the diag nostic significance of serum antibodies to the catalase antigen of A.fumigatus, as a previous study at our centre has demonstrated an association between cata lase antibodies, frequent isolation of the fungus from sputum, and slowly deteriorating lung function pa rameters [5].…”

“…Immunologically, ABPA is associated with type I and type III hypersensitivity reactions to A. fumigatus [2]. Patients with cystic fi brosis (CF) frequently carry A. fumigatus in sputum [3][4][5] and are at risk of developing ABPA [6,7], Inci dences of ABPA of 1-5 cases per 100 patients per year have been reported from non-European CF centres [7,8],…”