Antigenemia Detected by Radioimmunoassay in Systemic Aspergillosis

  1. MARC H. WEINER, M.D.
  1. San Antonio, Texas

    Abstract

    Because of difficulties in antemortem diagnosis of systemic aspergillosis, a radioimmunoassay to an Aspergillus fumigatus carbohydrate was developed and evaluated in patients with mycotic or bacterial infections. Antigenemia was detected in sera obtained antemortem from four of seven patients with systemic aspergillosis and in pleural fluid from an Aspergillus empyema but not in control sera or pleural fluid from 43 patients or 27 normal donors. When characterized with reference to onset of disease, antigenemia was an early sign of infection. This study shows the usefulness of the Aspergillus antigen radioimmunoassay for early, specific immunodiagnosis of systemic aspergillosis.

    Article and Author Information

    • ▸From the Infectious Diseases Section, Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital, and the Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center; San Antonio, Texas.

    • Grant support: from the National Institutes of Health (AI-13770-04), from the General Medical Research Service of the Veterans Administration, and an Institutional Grant from the University of Texas Health Science Center.

    • ▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to Marc H. Weiner, M.D.; Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive; San Antonio, TX 78284.

      • Received July 31, 1979.
      • Accepted March 7, 1980.
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    This Article

    1. Ann Intern Med June 1, 1980 vol. 92 no. 6 793-796
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