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Detection of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Haematological Malignancy Patients by using Lateral-flow Technology
08:01

Detection of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Haematological Malignancy Patients by using Lateral-flow Technology

Published on: March 22, 2012

Pulmonary Aspergillus colonization in humans and its impact on management of critically ill patients

C Lass-Flörl1, G M Salzer, T Schmid

  • 1Department of Hygiene, Innsbruck University, Austria. cornelia.lass-flörl@uibk.ac.at

British Journal of Haematology
|April 7, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Pulmonary fungal colonization, including Aspergillus, was found in 63% of lung tissue samples. Eradicating fungal spores before chemotherapy is crucial for preventing invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Pulmonary Medicine
  • Surgical Pathology

Background:

  • Pulmonary aspergillosis is a serious opportunistic infection.
  • Fungal colonization of the lungs can precede invasive disease.
  • Patients undergoing thoracic surgery and those with unexpected deaths represent distinct populations for studying lung fungal carriage.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of fungal colonization, specifically Aspergillus, in lung tissues from patients undergoing thoracic surgery and in autopsy samples.
  • To assess the significance of pre-existing fungal carriage in the context of potential pulmonary aspergillosis development.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of lung tissue samples from 56 patients undergoing thoracic surgery.
  • Analysis of lung tissue samples from 18 individuals from an autopsy population.
  • Microbiological assessment for fungal growth and identification of Aspergillus species.

Main Results:

  • Overall, 63% of the 74 lung tissue samples showed evidence of pulmonary fungal colonization.
  • Fungal growth was detected in 62% of the surgery patient samples, with Aspergillus present in 39%.
  • In the autopsy population, 61% had fungal colonization, and Aspergillus was identified in 41% of cases.

Conclusions:

  • Pulmonary fungal colonization is prevalent in both surgical and autopsy lung tissue samples.
  • The findings underscore the necessity of eradicating resident fungal spores before initiating aggressive chemotherapy.
  • Preventing further fungal spore uptake during hospitalization is essential for mitigating the risk of pulmonary aspergillosis.

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