Respiratory specimens and the diagnostic accuracy of Aspergillus lateral flow assays (LFA-IMMY™): real-life data from a multicentre study

Objectives: Proper diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis is challenging because conventional methods lack sensitivity and are complicated by time-consuming incubation processes. To meet the requirement for early diagnosis the new Aspergillus-specific point-of-care test LFA-IMMYT was evaluated with respect to the ability to accurately detect Aspergillus in bronchoalveolar fluids and sputa, and to clarify the potential of cross-reactivity with other fungal pathogens. Methods: Respiratory specimens (n = 398) from non-selected patients (n = 390) underwent either fungal microscopy, culture or both before Aspergillus lateral flow assay (LFA-IMMY) testing. Results: For Aspergillus culture- and microscopy-positive samples, sensitivity (48/52) and specificity (44/48) were 92% (95% CI 8.0% e9.7%) and 91% (95% CI 7.9%e9.7%), respectively; cross-reactivity was documented with non-Aspergillus pathogens. Conclusion: LFA-IMMY is a reliable diagnostic tool for the detection of Aspergillus in respiratory samples. (C) 2019 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.