Oxford University Press, Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2023
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad141
Full text: Unavailable
Abstract Background Invasive aspergillosis(IA) by a triazole resistant Aspergillus fumigatus is associated with a high mortality. Real-time resistance detection will result in earlier initiation of appropriate therapy. Methods In a prospective study in the Netherlands and Belgium, we evaluated the clinical value of the multiplex AsperGenius®PCR in hematology patients from 12 centers. This PCR detects the most frequent cyp51A mutations in A. fumigatus conferring azole-resistance. Patients were included when a CT-scan showed a pulmonary infiltrate and bronchoalveolar lavage(BALf) sampling was performed. The primary endpoint was antifungal treatment failure in patients with azole-resistant IA. Patients with mixed azole-susceptible/resistant infections were excluded. Results Of 323 patients enrolled, complete mycological and radiological information was available in 276/323(94%) and probable IA diagnosed in 99/276(36%). Sufficient BALf for PCR testing was available in 293/323(91%). Aspergillus DNA was detected in 116/293(40%) and A.fumigatus DNA in 89/293(30%). The resistance PCR was conclusive in 58/89(65%) and resistance detected in 8/58(14%). Two had a mixed azole-susceptible/resistant infection. In the 6 remaining patients, treatment failure was observed in one. Galactomannan positivity was associated with higher mortality(p=0.004). In contrast, mortality of patients with an isolated positive Aspergillus PCR was comparable to those with a negative PCR(p=0.83). Conclusions Real-time PCR-based resistance testing may help to limit the clinical impact of triazole resistance. In contrast, the clinical impact of an isolated positive Aspergillus PCR on BALf seems limited. The interpretation of the EORTC/MSGERC PCR criterion for BALf may need further specification (e.g. minimum Ct-value and/or PCR positive on >1 BALf sample).