Thrush Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Thrush, including details on oral, vaginal, symptoms, prevention, treatment, infection.

Early diagnosis of invasive candidiasis with mannan antigenemia and antimannan antibodies.

Prella M, Bille J, Pugnale M, Duvoisin B, Cavassini M, Calandra T, Marchetti O

Infectious Diseases Service, Department of Internal Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.

Late treatment of invasive candidiasis (IC) results in severe complications and high mortality. New tools are needed for early diagnosis. We conducted a retrospective study to assess the diagnostic utility of mannan antigenemia (Mn) and antimannan antibodies (anti-Mn) in neutropenic cancer patients at high risk for candidiasis. Twenty-eight patients with IC (based on European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and Mycoses Study Group definitions) and 25 controls were studied. Mn and anti-Mn were positive (> or = 0.25 ng/mL and > or = 5 AU/mL, respectively) in 25/28 (89%) patients with candidiasis and in 4/25 (16%) controls: sensitivity, 89%; specificity, 84%; positive predictive value, 86%; negative predictive value, 88%. In patients with hepatosplenic lesions, assessing Mn/anti-Mn shortened the median time of diagnosis of candidiasis when compared with imaging (9 versus 25 days after fever onset as first sign of infection; P < 0.001). Candidiasis was diagnosed before neutrophil recovery in 78% and 11% of cases with Mn/anti-Mn and radiology, respectively (P < 0.001). Mn and anti-Mn may be useful for early noninvasive diagnosis of IC.

Published 8 February 2005 in Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 51(2): 95-101.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Thrush Research Today. All Rights Reserved.