Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026
Detection of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Haematological Malignancy Patients by using Lateral-flow Technology
Published on: March 22, 2012
Invasive aspergillosis. Progress in early diagnosis and treatment
Abstract:
Ninety-one patients with documented invasive infections due to an Aspergillus species were identified at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from July 1, 1971, through December 31, 1976. Of the 29 patients in whom the diagnosis was made during life, 10 had successful treatment and survived the Aspergillus infection by two to 17 months. An immunodiffusion test was useful in the early diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis, and in 11 patients in whom the diagnosis was supported by seroconversion and who underwent treatment, the survival rate was 64 percent. Cultures of respiratory secretions were not reliable because they often reflected only colonization. In one year, only 9 percent of he patients with Aspergillus species isolated from the sputum had an invasive infection. The lung was the commonest site of involvement, 91 percent of the patients having pulmonary lesions. The most frequently affected extrapulmonary organ was the brain (18.3 percent). Eight patients had nonpulmonary aspergillosis as the only manifestation of this infection. Most of the 91 patients had hematologic neoplasms as the underlying disease, and neutropenia and antibacterial therapy preceded the diagnosis of aspergillosis in the majority of cases.
Insights
Early diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis using an immunodiffusion test improved survival rates. Cultures were unreliable, but prompt treatment significantly aided patient recovery from this serious fungal infection.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
- Hematology
Background:
- Invasive aspergillosis is a serious fungal infection often seen in immunocompromised patients.
- Accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and improved patient outcomes.
- Previous diagnostic methods had limitations in sensitivity and specificity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic utility of the immunodiffusion test for invasive aspergillosis.
- To assess treatment outcomes and survival rates in patients with invasive aspergillosis.
- To identify common sites of infection and patient populations at risk.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 91 patients with invasive aspergillosis diagnosed between 1971 and 1976.
- Evaluation of the immunodiffusion test's performance in early diagnosis.
- Comparison of survival rates based on diagnostic methods and treatment.
Main Results:
- The immunodiffusion test, particularly with seroconversion, was useful for early diagnosis, yielding a 64% survival rate in treated patients.
- Respiratory secretion cultures were unreliable, often indicating colonization rather than invasive infection (only 9% of sputum-positive patients had invasive disease).
- The lung was the most common site (91%), followed by the brain (18.3%); hematologic neoplasms were the most frequent underlying disease.
Conclusions:
- The immunodiffusion test is a valuable tool for the early diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis.
- Prompt treatment significantly improves survival rates in patients with invasive aspergillosis.
- Clinical suspicion and appropriate diagnostic testing are essential, especially in immunocompromised patients with hematologic malignancies.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Fungal Phylum Microsporidia
01:28Fungal Phylum Ascomycota
01:26Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
01:27Cryptococcal Meningitis
01:22American Trypanosomiasis
01:26Brain Abscess l: Introduction