Towards a standard for Aspergillus PCR - requirements, process and results

Abstract

The diagnosis of invasive fungal disease remains challenging. The development of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group criteria has helped standardise diagnosis, yet PCR is excluded, a result of limited standardisation and concurrent clinical validation. In 2006, the European Aspergillus PCR Initiative working party of International Society of Human and Animal Mycoses was formed with the aim of establishing a standard for PCR methodology for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis, to attain an accurate clinical utility of PCR and acceptance of PCR in future disease defining criteria. This manuscript will provide an overview of the standardisation process, before describing the potential samples available and the reasoning behind the choices made. It will summarise the key findings, provide the European Aspergillus PCR Initiative recommendations when testing whole blood and serum, and conclude with a synopsis of future European Aspergillus PCR Initiative perspectives and other key processes that will improve PCR based diagnosis.