We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
ZeptoMetrix an Antylia scientific company

Download Mobile App




Diagnostic Accuracy of Histoplasma Urine Antigen Assay Evaluated

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 29 Nov 2018
Histoplasmosis is an endemic mycosis in many regions of Latin America. More...
In the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected population it manifests as progressive disseminated histoplasmosis (PDH), an entity hard to diagnose since the causative fungi, Histoplasma capsulatum, is slow growing and requires advance biosafety for its handling.

The standard of reference for PDH diagnosis is the isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum from a non-respiratory sample, typically bone marrow or peripheral blood, or the visualization of yeast-like structures in the histopathologic examination. In the USA, histoplasmosis is also endemic, and its PDH presentation is commonly diagnosed by the detection of Histoplasma urine antigen (HUAg).

Scientists at The National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán (Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico) conducted a multicenter, prospective, diagnostic test study in two secondary and eight tertiary-care facilities from seven states of Mexico, from December 2015 to October 2017. At least 5 mL of peripheral blood were inoculated in a BD BACTEC Myco F/ Lytic vial; for bone marrow aspirates, a similar amount (5 mL) was inoculated in a BACTEC Myco F/ Lytic and a BACTEC Peds Plus F (3 mL), and 1 mL in a Löwenstein-Jensen and Sabouraud solid media.

The team evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of IMMY ALPHA Histoplasma Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) Test Kit. The scientists included 288 cases for this analysis. From these patients, the central laboratory processed 1,068 samples: 277 blood cultures, 252 bone marrow aspirate cultures, 104 biopsies for tissue culture, 147 biopsies for the histopathologic examination, and 288 urine samples for HUAg detection. They classified 85/288 (29.5%) patients as PDH–proven, 28.2% (24/85) based on positive histopathologic examination and positive culture, 58.8% (50/85) by positive culture only and 12.9% (11/85) by positive histopathologic exam only. The sensitivity of ALPHA-HUAg was 67.1% (95% CI, 56–76.8%) and the specificity was 97.5% (95% CI, 94.3%-99.1%). The positive likelihood ratio was 27.2 (95% CI; 11.6–74.4). In 10.5% of the PDH–proven patients, a co-existing opportunistic infection was diagnosed, mostly disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex infection.

The authors concluded that ALPHA-HUAg is a useful test for the diagnosis of PDH, in patients with high level of suspicion in endemic regions for H. capsulatum, and may favor early targeted-antifungal treatment, thus improving the prognosis of these frail HIV-patients. Nevertheless, the culture-based approach should ensue simultaneously since co-infections are frequent and a negative result of ALPHA-HUAg does not discard PDH in patients from endemic regions for H. capsulatum. The study was published on November 5, 2018, in the journal Public Library of Science Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Related Links:
National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán


Gold Member
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
Gold Member
Flocked Fiber Swabs
Puritan® Patented HydraFlock®
New
Urine Drug Test
Instant-view® Phencyclidine Urine Drug Test
New
Respiratory Infections Test
STANDARD Q Adeno Respi Ag Test
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: The POC device rapidly predicts neonatal respiratory disease at birth in the NICU (Photo courtesy of SIME Diagnostics)

AI-Powered Lung Maturity Test Identifies Newborns at Higher Risk of Respiratory Distress

Each year, approximately 300,000 babies in the United States are born between 32 and 36 weeks' gestation, according to national health data. This group is at an elevated risk for respiratory distress,... Read more

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: Early prediction of preterm birth in cell-free RNA could revolutionize prevention strategies (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Blood Cell-Free RNA Signatures Can Predict Preterm Birth Four Months Before Delivery

Every year, around 13.4 million babies are born prematurely worldwide, accounting for roughly one in ten of all live births. Of these, nearly one million preterm infants die annually, and preterm birth... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: Results of AI-based 3D virtual H&E staining and quantitative analysis of pathological tissue (Photo courtesy of Nature Communications, DOI:10.1038/s41467-025-59820-0)

Virtual Staining Technology Paves Way for Non-Invasive Pathological Diagnosis

For more than 200 years, traditional pathology has depended on the technique of examining cancer tissues under a microscope, a method that provides only limited, specific cross-sections of the 3D structure... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Scanning electron microscopy images showing 3D micro-printed Limacon-shaped whispering-gallery-mode microcavities with different amounts of deformation (Photo courtesy of A. Ping Zhang/PolyU)

Tiny Microlaser Sensors with Supercharged Biosensing Ability to Enable Early Disease Diagnosis

Optical whispering-gallery-mode microlaser sensors function by trapping light within tiny microcavities. When target molecules bind to the cavity, they induce subtle changes in the laser’s frequency, allowing... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.