Markers of invasive fungal infection

Editor-in-Chief: Alexandra Bailey, M.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston Massachusetts, [mailto:asbailey@bidmc.harvard.edu]

Overview
Beta-D-Glucan is a cell wall component of all fungi, including Pneumocystis jirovecii (PCP), Candida species and Aspergillus. In the serum test, a spectrophotometer is used to determine optical density and beta-D-glucan concentrations are interpreted as negative (range <60 pg/mL), indeterminate (60 to 79 pg/mL), or positive (>80 pg/mL).

Galactomannin, which is released during growth of hyphae, is a major constituent of Aspergillus cell walls. Early detection of serum galactomannan by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been explored by a number of groups as a diagnostic test for invasive aspergillosis.