Specificity of a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting Aspergillus galactomannan

The specificity of a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting Aspergillus galactomannan was tested with exoantigens of 29 fungi cultured from clinical specimens. Cross-reactivity was observed with Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium digitatum, and Paecilomyces variotii. Furthermore, 40 serum samples obtained from bacteremic patients with hematologic malignancies were retrospectively tested by sandwich ELISA. False-positive reactions with the serum were reproducible but did not correspond with the results of culture of specific microorganisms. Moreover, the microorganisms cultured from the blood showed no reactivity by the sandwich ELISA.