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β-D-Glucan Testing

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Aspergillosis: From Diagnosis to Prevention

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Abstract

β-D-glucan is a fungal cell wall component circulating in the blood of patients with invasive fungal infections besides zygomycosis. This chapter reviews Japanese, European, and North-American experience with β-D-glucan testing in patients with invasive aspergillosis. Japanese testing results using a G-test, Fungitec G-test MK, and β-glucan Test WAKO indicated a positive rate of 82.5% in 85 of 103 cases of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. European and North-American results using the Fungitell assay were equivalent, with a positive rate of 73.5% in 83 of 113 cases. Testing for β-D-glucan requires caution with regard to false positives, regardless of the assay method used. In addition, β-D-glucan testing offers promise for preemptive/presumptive therapy of invasive aspergillosis, as well as in monitoring response to therapy.

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Acknowledgments

I thank Hiroshi Tamura, Ph.D. for his valuable comment.

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  1. Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Kawasaki city, Japan

    Minoru Yoshida

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  1. Minoru Yoshida
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Correspondence to Minoru Yoshida .

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  1. Porto Alegre, Complexo Hospitalar Santa Casa de, Av. Independencia 155, Porto Alegre, 90035-075, Brazil

    Alessandro Comarú Pasqualotto

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Yoshida, M. (2009). β-D-Glucan Testing. In: Comarú Pasqualotto, A. (eds) Aspergillosis: From Diagnosis to Prevention. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2408-4_8

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