TY  - JOUR
A1  - Forster, Johannes
A1  - Dichtl, Karl
A1  - Wagener, Johannes
T1  - Lower beta‐1,3‐D‐glucan testing cut‐offs increase sensitivity for non‐albicans Candida species bloodstream infections
JF  - Mycoses
N2  - Purpose
Fungal biomarkers support early diagnosis of invasive fungal infections. In this study, we evaluated the impact of a recent update to the manufacturer‐recommended cut‐off for beta‐1,3‐D‐glucan (BDG) testing (Fujifilm Wako BDG assay) on sensitivity and specificity for the detection of candidemia. Additionally, we compared the performance with tests for Candida antigen (Ag by Serion ELISA antigen Candida, Virion\Serion) and anti‐mannan antibodies (Ab by Hemkit Candida IHA, Ravo Diagnostika).

Methods
Sera of 82 patients with candidemia, which were sampled with a maximum distance of ±14 days from the date of sampling of the corresponding positive blood cultures, were retrospectively analysed for BDG, Ag and Ab. Results of BDG testing were compared with results from sera of 129 patients with candidemia from a different hospital.

Results
Sensitivity of BDG testing (47%) was higher than for Ag (17%) or Ab (20%). By combining Ag and Ab testing, sensitivity was raised to 32%. Lowering the cut‐off of BDG from 11 pg/ml to the newly recommended cut‐off of 7 pg/ml resulted in a significant increase in sensitivity (47% vs 58%, p = .01 and 63% vs 71% p < .01). At both centres, the increase was significant in NAC but not in C. albicans candidemia. No significant effects on specificity were observed.

Conclusion
BDG testing outperformed Ag and Ab testing and its combination. Lowering the BDG cut‐off had no significant impact on specificity. The increase in sensitivity can be mainly attributed to a gain in sensitivity for non‐albicans Candida species bloodstream infections.
KW  - antigen testing
KW  - BDG
KW  - beta‐d‐glucan
KW  - bloodstream infection
KW  - candidemia
KW  - mannan
Y1  - 2022
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-276515
VL  - 65
IS  - 5
SP  - 500
EP  - 507
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Tischer, Christina
A1  - Stupp, Carolin
A1  - Janson, Patrick
A1  - Willeke, Kristina
A1  - Hung, Chu-Wei
A1  - Flöter, Jessica
A1  - Kirchner, Anna
A1  - Zink, Katharina
A1  - Eder, Lisa
A1  - Hackl, Christina
A1  - Mühle, Ursula
A1  - Weidmann, Manfred
A1  - Nennstiel, Uta
A1  - Kuhn, Joseph
A1  - Weidner, Christian
A1  - Liebl, Bernhard
A1  - Wildner, Manfred
A1  - Keil, Thomas
T1  - Evaluation of screening tests in Bavarian healthcare facilities during the second wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
N2  - Due to the lack of data on asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2-positive persons in healthcare institutions, they represent an inestimable risk. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the first 1,000,000 reported screening tests of asymptomatic staff, patients, residents, and visitors in hospitals and long-term care (LTC) facilities in the State of Bavaria over a period of seven months. Data were used from the online database BayCoRei (Bavarian Corona Screening Tests), established in July 2020. Descriptive analyses were performed, describing the temporal pattern of persons that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or antigen tests, stratified by facility. Until 15 March 2021, this database had collected 1,038,146 test results of asymptomatic subjects in healthcare facilities (382,240 by RT-PCR, and 655,906 by antigen tests). Of the RT-PCR tests, 2.2% (n = 8380) were positive: 3.0% in LTC facilities, 2.2% in hospitals, and 1.2% in rehabilitation institutions. Of the antigen tests, 0.4% (n = 2327) were positive: 0.5% in LTC facilities, and 0.3% in both hospitals and rehabilitation institutions, respectively. In LTC facilities and hospitals, infection surveillance using RT-PCR tests, or the less expensive but less sensitive, faster antigen tests, could facilitate the long-term management of the healthcare workforce, patients, and residents.
KW  - SARS-CoV-2
KW  - asymptomatic screening
KW  - RT-PCR
KW  - antigen testing
KW  - infection surveillance
Y1  - 2021
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-242637
SN  - 1660-4601
VL  - 18
IS  - 14
ER  -