A new test for a deadly fungal infection in patients with damaged immune systems

[Guest guest]

Apr 1 2009, 7:54 PM EST

A new test for a deadly fungal infection in patients with damaged immune systems

EUREKALERT

http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=52190395

Contact: Dianne Stilwell

d.stilwell@...

07-957-200-214

Society for General Microbiology

Genetic Engineering News (press release) - New Rochelle,NY,USA

A quicker, cheaper and more accurate test for deadly Aspergillus fumigatus

fungal infections in patients with damaged or suppressed immune systems was

described today, (Thursday 2 April) at the Society for General Microbiology

meeting in Harrogate, by Dr Thornton from the University of Exeter,

UK.

Fungal infections are a significant cause of death in patients whose immune

systems are suppressed, for example those undergoing bone marrow transplantation

or chemotherapy. Infection by breathing in the spores of the fungus Aspergillus

fumigatus can cause invasive aspergillosis (IA) that can have a fatality rate

approaching 90%. IA is very difficult to detect; doctors need to take tissue

samples to see if the fungus is growing in the body. As this is often not

possible in very sick patients, tests that detect signature molecules of the

fungus in patient's serum are used. These existing tests are costly, and require

expertise and sophisticated laboratory facilities to run. They also cannot

distinguish between molecules from the Aspergillus fungus and similar molecules

from antibiotics and foodstuffs, and even certain bacteria.

Dr Thornton and colleagues have developed a test for IA using technology similar

to that used in home pregnancy tests. The test uses a monoclonal antibody that

binds to a glycoprotein antigen secreted specifically by Aspergillus species. It

does not give a reaction with any other clinically important fungi. It only

takes 15 minutes to perform, making it quicker and less costly than conventional

laboratory-based tests.

" Because our test is user-friendly it can be used to diagnose IA at the

'point-of-care' for patients, said Dr Thornton, " it can be used to provide

routine monitoring of patients at high-risk for the disease, such as bone marrow

transplant recipients and leukaemia patients. We are currently working with a

multinational clinical diagnostics company to develop a commercial version of

the device. "