False-positive galactomannan platelia Aspergillus test results for patients receiving piperacillin-tazobactam

Clin Infect Dis. 2004 Mar 15;38(6):913-6. doi: 10.1086/382224. Epub 2004 Feb 27.

Abstract

At the bone marrow transplantation center of the San Martino Hospital (Genoa), we observed an increase in the rate of patients with positive Platelia Aspergillus (PA; Bio-Rad) test results, from 10% (38 of 386 patients) in the period from January 1999 through January 2003 to 36% (21 of 59 patients) in the period from February 2003 through May 2003. Positivity was significantly (P<.001) associated with the administration of piperacillin-tazobactam (PT) (17 [74%] of 23 patients who received PT had positive results vs. 4 [11%] of 36 who did not receive PT). Multivariate analysis found administration of PT ( chi 2=34.7; P<.001) and underlying disease ( chi 2=21.14; P<.001) to be associated with PA positivity. Of 15 PT batches tested, 12 had positive PA test results.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / adverse effects
  • Antigens, Fungal / analysis
  • Aspergillus / isolation & purification*
  • False Positive Reactions
  • Galactose / analogs & derivatives
  • Humans
  • Mannans / analysis*
  • Microbiological Techniques*
  • Penicillanic Acid / adverse effects*
  • Penicillanic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Piperacillin / adverse effects*
  • Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antigens, Fungal
  • Mannans
  • galactomannan
  • Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination
  • Penicillanic Acid
  • Piperacillin
  • Galactose