Serum (1-3)-beta-D-glucan as a tool for diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection or hematological malignancy

J Clin Microbiol. 2009 Dec;47(12):3871-4. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01756-09. Epub 2009 Oct 21.

Abstract

(1-3)-Beta-D-Glucan (BG) reactivity was tested in serum samples from 28 patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection or a hematological malignancy and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) and 28 control patients. The sensitivity and specificity of BG detection with the Fungitell assay for PCP were 100 and 96.4%, respectively, using a cutoff value of 100 pg/ml. Serum BG testing looks promising for the noninvasive diagnosis of PCP. Our data suggest that a higher cutoff value for the diagnosis of PCP than for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis or candidiasis could be used safely and will improve the specificity of the test.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / diagnosis*
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / microbiology
  • Adult
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / complications*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pneumocystis carinii*
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / microbiology
  • Proteoglycans
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Young Adult
  • beta-Glucans* / blood

Substances

  • Proteoglycans
  • beta-Glucans
  • polysaccharide-K