Standardization of Aspergillus PCR diagnosis

摘要

Blennow and Mattsson recently concluded in a reply to Meije et al. that standardization of Aspergillus PCR diagnosis is needed. We agree with this, which is why we set up a Working Group of the International Society of Human and Animal Mycology, known as the European Aspergillus PCR initiative (EAPCRI) (http://www.eapcri. eu). This group has forged ahead, developing the necessary framework for establishing standards.Meije et al. demonstrated that DNAemia was detected persistently for several weeks before the development of six cases of invasive aspergillosis (IA): one proven and five probable cases. Indeed DNAemia was found to be a very early marker of IA, being detected on an average of 21 days before signs were apparent on high-resolution computed tomography and 68 days before galactomannan was first detected. By contrast, Blennow et al. monitored a series of allogeneic hematopoietic SCT recipients who had undergone reduced-intensity conditioning for fungal PCR and found no association between IA and DNAaemia.