Aspergillus Infections

Abstract

To the Editor: We would like to make two observations regarding the review of aspergillus infections by Thompson and Young (Oct. 14 issue).¹ The first is the importance of combined diagnostic assays. In most centers, the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis relies on a single mycologic test — typically, the galactomannan assay, which is often performed once or twice a week. Galactomannan is released intermittently during infection, but the dynamics of its release are unclear.² The authors cited evidence suggesting that combining the use of galactomannan with a polymerase-chain-reaction assay improves diagnostic accuracy. However, some evidence suggests that the combination of . . .