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Published on: September 9, 2015
Serodiagnosis of Mycobacterium abscessus complex infection in cystic fibrosis
Tavs Qvist1, Tania Pressler2, David Taylor-Robinson3
1Copenhagen Cystic Fibrosis Centre, Dept of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark tavs.qvist@gmail.com.
Abstract:
Early signs of pulmonary disease with Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABSC) can be missed in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). A serological method could help stratify patients according to risk. The objective of this study was to test the diagnostic accuracy of a novel method for investigating IgG activity against MABSC.A prospective study of all patients attending the Copenhagen CF Centre was conducted by culturing for MABSC during a 22-month period and then screening patients with an anti-MABSC IgG ELISA. Culture-positive patients had stored serum examined for antibody kinetics before and after culture conversion.307 patients had 3480 respiratory samples cultured and were then tested with the anti-MABSC IgG ELISA. Patients with MABSC pulmonary disease had median anti-MABSC IgG levels six-fold higher than patients with no history of infection (434 versus 64 ELISA units; p<0.001). The test sensitivity was 95% (95% CI 74-99%) and the specificity was 73% (95% CI 67-78%). A diagnostic algorithm was constructed to stratify patients according to risk.The test accurately identified patients with pulmonary disease caused by MABSC and was suited to be used as a complement to mycobacterial culture.
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