%0 Comparative Study
%T Respiratory specimens and the diagnostic accuracy of Aspergillus lateral flow assays (LFA-IMMY™): real-life data from a multicentre study.
%A Lass-Flörl C
%A Lo Cascio G
%A Nucci M
%A Camargo Dos Santos M
%A Colombo AL
%A Vossen M
%A Willinger B
%J Clin Microbiol Infect
%V 25
%N 12
%D Dec 2019
%M 31445208
%F 13.31
%R 10.1016/j.cmi.2019.08.009
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>Proper diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis is challenging because conventional methods lack sensitivity and are complicated by time-consuming incubation processes. To meet the requirement for early diagnosis the new Aspergillus-specific point-of-care test LFA-IMMY™ was evaluated with respect to the ability to accurately detect Aspergillus in bronchoalveolar fluids and sputa, and to clarify the potential of cross-reactivity with other fungal pathogens.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Respiratory specimens (n = 398) from non-selected patients (n = 390) underwent either fungal microscopy, culture or both before Aspergillus lateral flow assay (LFA-IMMY) testing.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>For Aspergillus culture- and microscopy-positive samples, sensitivity (48/52) and specificity (44/48) were 92% (95% CI 8.0%-9.7%) and 91% (95% CI 7.9%-9.7%), respectively; cross-reactivity was documented with non-Aspergillus pathogens.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>LFA-IMMY is a reliable diagnostic tool for the detection of Aspergillus in respiratory samples.