Efficacy of Beta D- Glucan Serologic Test in Invasive Fungal Infections Early Detection in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies in Southern Iran

Fungal infections are a major concern in immunocompromised patients, such as patients with hematologic malignancies and bone marrow transplants. Opportunistic infections such as invasive fungal infections can lead to poor outcomes and a high probability of death in such patients. Gold standard methods of fungi detection are intrusive and time-consuming. Therefore, they may not be the method of choice to detect such infections rapidly; however, they are always mandatory. Next to gold-standard methods, serologic methods are rapid and non-invasive methods that have been approved for use as an adjunct to classic methods for quicker detection of fungal infections.

In this study, 68 patients diagnosed with hematologic malignancies and suspicious of fungal infection were enrolled to detect fungi with serologic testing of Beta D-Glucan using ELISA. The authors evaluated the association of malignancy type, clinical signs, and patients’ para-clinical data with positive Beta D-Glucan tests.

Out of 43 men and 25 women participating in this study, 79% had positive test results.

There was no significant association between malignancy type, clinical signs, patients’ para-clinical data, and their positive serology tests. Considering the probable false-positive results due to infection and the use of certain antibiotics in such immunocompromised patients, the authors concluded that the Beta D-Glucan ELISA test might not be a sensitive diagnosis means to diagnose fungal infections in patients with hematologic malignancies.