Beta-D-glucan fungal antigen test
Beta-D-glucan fungal antigen test
For the following tests, please send serum (200 µl minimum) or 3mL clotted blood in a plain tube; EDTA blood is not suitable.
Use(s):
Diagnosis of fungal infection, exclusion of fungal infection (if negative).
Description:
Determination of the presence of 1-3 Beta- D- glucan (fungal cell wall antigen) in serum by kinetic enzyme assay
Results:
30 to 59 pg/mL Negative, 60-80 pg/mL Indeterminate, >80pg/mL Positive.
Note:
Positives may be due to contaminating substances such as surgical gauze, IV Immunoglobulins or gut leakage. Positives may represent several different fungal disases including Candidosis, Aspergillosis and Pneumocystis and further testing is usually indicated. Samples from patient s with Cryptococcosis and Mucoromycosis are not positive for BDG.
The uncertainty of measurement of this assay has been characterised in the following way, a positive control sample near the cutoff for this test at 60pg/ml, was tested over 6 months (79 runs) and yielded a mean of 45.8 pg/mL and a standard deviation of 6.3, we estimate that 95% of all samples at this level will have a range from + or - 13.7pg/mL.
