Diagnostic of fungal colonization/infection

Ref ID: 19454

Author:

M. Lackner

Author address:

Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Innsbruck, Austria

Full conference title:

6th Trends in Medical Mycology 2013

Date: 11 October 2014

Abstract:

Cystic fibroses (CF) is with an incidence rate of 1 per 2500 the most
common inherited autosomal recessive disease within Central Europe.
Patients suffering from CF have a strictly limited mucociliary clear-
ance of their respiratory tract and they produce thick, sticky mucus
that provides optimal growth conditions for microorganisms. The
prevalence and diversity of bacteria in the respiratory tract of CF
patients has been intensively studied in the past decades, while the
diversity and in particular the frequency of the various fungi in the
respiratory tract remains to be investigated. Using current standard
culture media the following fungi are the most prevalent once: Can-
dida spp. and Aspergillus species. By using additional selective media
(e.g. erythritol-chloramphenicol agar [ECA], SceSel+) the following
fungi can be detected in addition Scedosporium spp., Exophiala spp.,
Geosmithia spp., Trichosporon spp., and Trichoderma species. While
part of the CF patients is asymptomatically colonized by fungi, others
develop allergic bronchopulmonary symptoms, which can lead to sig-
nificant decrease of patients! lung function. In particular after lung
transplantation in the course of immune suppressive therapy, inva-
sive and disseminated fungal infections in CF patients have been
reported. To identify patients at risk proper fungal monitoring is
essential for patient management. An overview on available diagnos-
tic assays including antigen tests, immunological assays, molecular
assays, and culture-based methods will be given. Even with the
extended panel of diagnostic assays which is currently available, the
discrimination between colonization and infection remains
ambiguous.

Abstract Number: w09-3

Conference Year: 2013

Link to conference website: NULL

New link: NULL

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