Respiratory Treatment and Prevention (Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology)

Advs Exp. Medicine, Biology - Neuroscience and Respiration (2016) 27: 27–33
DOI 10.1007/5584_2016_46
#Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017
Published online: 12 July 2016

Diagnosis of Invasive Pulmonary

Aspergillosis

E. Swoboda-Kopec ́, M. Sikora, K. Piskorska, M. Gołas ́,

I. Netsvyetayeva, D. Przybyłowska, and E. Mierzwin ́ska-

Nastalska

Abstract

Culturing strains from clinical samples is the main method to diagnose

invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Detecting the galactomannan antigen in

serum samples is an auxiliary examination. The goal of this study was to

determine the frequency with whichAspergillus fumigatuswas cultured in

clinical samples taken from patients hospitalized in the the Infant Jesus

Teaching Hospital in Warsaw, Poland, in the period of 2013–2014.

Specimens from the respiratory tract and blood were cultured for myco-

logical and serological assessments. Strain isolation was performed in

chloramphenicol Sabouraud agar. Species identification was based on

morphological traits in macro-cultures and on microscopic examination.

The galactomannan antigen was detected by ELISA method. Out of 2000

clinical samples with positive mycological results, 200 were obtained

from the respiratory tract.A. fumigatus was cultured in 13 cases from

the respiratory group. Ten cases were cultured out of tracheal aspirates

and three from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The galactomannan antigen

was detected in a serum sample from only one out of the 13 patients with

cultures positive forA. fumigatus. It also was detected in serum samples of

three other patients in whomA. fumigatusculture yielded a negative

result. We conclude that culture-confirmed invasive pulmonary aspergil-

losis represents a scarce finding. A. fumigatuscultured from clinical

samples may not always be confirmed by ELISA assay andvice versaa

positive ELISA result does not attest the successful culture.

E. Swoboda-Kopec ́, K. Piskorska (*), M. Gołas ́,
and I. Netsvyetayeva
Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical
University of Warsaw, 5 Chałubin ́skiego St., 02-004
Warsaw, Poland
e-mail:[email protected]

M. Sikora

Department of Dental Microbiology, Medical University

of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland

D. Przybyłowska and E. Mierzwin ́ska-Nastalska

Department of Prosthodontic, Medical University of

Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland

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