TY - JOUR
T1 - A consensus on fungal polymerase chain reaction diagnosis?
T2 - A United Kingdom-Ireland evaluation of polymerase chain reaction methods for detection of systemic fungal infections
AU - White, P. Lewis
AU - Barton, Richard
AU - Guiver, Malcolm
AU - Linton, Christopher J.
AU - Wilson, Steve
AU - Smith, Melvyn
AU - Gomez, Beatriz L.
AU - Carr, Michael J.
AU - Kimmitt, Patrick T.
AU - Seaton, Shila
AU - Rajakumar, Kumar
AU - Holyoake, Tessa
AU - Kibbler, Chris C.
AU - Johnson, Elizabeth
AU - Hobson, Richard P.
AU - Jones, Brian
AU - Barnes, Rosemary A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Supported by Elan Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer UK Ltd.
PY - 2006/7
Y1 - 2006/7
N2 - The limitations of classical diagnostic methods for invasive fungal infections (IFIs) have led to the development of molecular techniques to aid in the detection of IFIs. Despite good published performance, interlaboratory reproduction of these assays is variable, and no consensus has been reached for an optimal method. This publication describes the first multicenter study of polymerase chain reaction methods, for the detection of Aspergillus and Candida species, currently used in the UK and Ireland by distribution and analysis of multiple specimen control panels. All three Candida methods were comparable, achieving a satisfactory level of detection (10 cfu), and the method of preference was dependent on the requirements of the particular laboratory. The results for the five Aspergillus assays were more variable, but two methods (2Asp and 4Asp) were superior (101 conidia). Formally, the overall performances of the two Aspergillus assays were comparable (κ statistic = 0.77). However, on the Roche LightCycler, there was a clear sample-type effect that greatly reduced the detection limit of the 4Asp method when testing whole blood samples. Therefore, the preferred Aspergillus method relied on the amplification platform available to the user. This study represents the initial process to achieve a consensus method for the diagnosis of IFIs.
AB - The limitations of classical diagnostic methods for invasive fungal infections (IFIs) have led to the development of molecular techniques to aid in the detection of IFIs. Despite good published performance, interlaboratory reproduction of these assays is variable, and no consensus has been reached for an optimal method. This publication describes the first multicenter study of polymerase chain reaction methods, for the detection of Aspergillus and Candida species, currently used in the UK and Ireland by distribution and analysis of multiple specimen control panels. All three Candida methods were comparable, achieving a satisfactory level of detection (10 cfu), and the method of preference was dependent on the requirements of the particular laboratory. The results for the five Aspergillus assays were more variable, but two methods (2Asp and 4Asp) were superior (101 conidia). Formally, the overall performances of the two Aspergillus assays were comparable (κ statistic = 0.77). However, on the Roche LightCycler, there was a clear sample-type effect that greatly reduced the detection limit of the 4Asp method when testing whole blood samples. Therefore, the preferred Aspergillus method relied on the amplification platform available to the user. This study represents the initial process to achieve a consensus method for the diagnosis of IFIs.
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U2 - 10.2353/jmoldx.2006.050120
DO - 10.2353/jmoldx.2006.050120
M3 - Article
C2 - 16825512
AN - SCOPUS:33745986710
SN - 1525-1578
VL - 8
SP - 376
EP - 384
JO - Journal of Molecular Diagnostics
JF - Journal of Molecular Diagnostics
IS - 3
ER -