High False-Positive Rate of (1,3)-β-D-Glucan in Onco-Hematological Patients Receiving Immunoglobulins and Therapeutic Antibodies

Jonathan Tschopp; Anne Sophie Brunel; Olivier Spertini; Anthony Croxatto; Frederic Lamoth; Pierre Yves Bochud

doi:10.1093/cid/ciab1028

High False-Positive Rate of (1,3)-β-D-Glucan in Onco-Hematological Patients Receiving Immunoglobulins and Therapeutic Antibodies

Clin Infect Dis. 2022 Aug 25;75(2):330-333. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab1028.

Authors

Jonathan Tschopp¹, Anne Sophie Brunel¹, Olivier Spertini², Anthony Croxatto³, Frederic Lamoth^{1

4}, Pierre Yves Bochud¹

Affiliations

¹ Infectious Diseases Service, University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
² Hematology Service, University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
³ ADMed Microbiologie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
⁴ Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.

PMID: 34996098
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab1028

Abstract

Immunoglobulins and/or therapeutic antibody preparations are associated with a high rate of false-positive (1,3)-β-D-glucan (BDG) tests in onco-hematological patients routinely screened for fungal infections. The benefit of BDG monitoring shall be balanced against the risk of false-positive tests leading to unnecessary investigations and costs in this population.

Keywords: false-positive; intravenous immunoglobulines; onco-hematology; therapeutic antibodies; β-D-glucan.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Glucans*
Humans
Immunoglobulins
Proteoglycans
Sensitivity and Specificity
beta-Glucans*

Substances

Glucans
Immunoglobulins
Proteoglycans
beta-Glucans
polysaccharide-K