Real-Time PCR for the Early Diagnosis of Invasive Fungal Infection in Patients with Hematological Malignancy

Abstract

SUMMARY T he prevalence of invasive fungal infections (IFI) has increased in recent years due to an increasing population of immunocompromised patients, intensive immunosuppressive chemotherapy, increasing awareness of these infections, and the widespread use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and central venous catheters. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of real-time PCR using a pan-fungal marker as a rapid test for the early diagnosis of invasive fungal infection in patients with hematological malignancy. The study included 80 immunocompromised diagnosed with hematological malignancy with suspected invasive fungal infection and 20 patients with non invasive fungal infection /colonization as control.