Aspergillus serology: Have we arrived yet?

MD Richardson, ID Page - Medical mycology, 2016 - academic.oup.com
Medical mycology, 2016academic.oup.com
Aspergillosis presents in various clinical forms, among them chronic pulmonary
aspergillosis, which is a spectrum of disease entities including aspergilloma, chronic
cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis, and chronic fibrosing pulmonary aspergillosis. Aspergillus
also contributes to fungal allergy and sensitization. Analysis of the immune response to
Aspergillus and its antigens is an integral part of the diagnosis of these diseases. Over the
past half century, the techniques used to determine antibody titers have evolved from testing …
Abstract
Aspergillosis presents in various clinical forms, among them chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, which is a spectrum of disease entities including aspergilloma, chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis, and chronic fibrosing pulmonary aspergillosis. Aspergillus also contributes to fungal allergy and sensitization. Analysis of the immune response to Aspergillus and its antigens is an integral part of the diagnosis of these diseases. Over the past half century, the techniques used to determine antibody titers have evolved from testing for precipitating and agglutinating antibodies by agar gel double diffusion and immunolectrophoresis to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays using recombinant proteins as capture antigens. A resurgence of interest in the detection of immunoglobulins, primarily Aspergillus-specific IgG, has hinted at the possibility of distinguishing between colonization and invasion in immunocompromised patients with invasive aspergillosis. Even though there appears to be a greater degree of discrimination between the clinical forms of aspergillosis there is still a long way to travel. This review presents illustrative examples of where new diagnostic platforms and technologies have been applied to this intriguing spectrum of diseases.
Oxford University Press