Plasma Cell-Free DNA PCR for Diagnosing Invasive Aspergillosis

To establish a diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IA), biopsy and respiratory sample specimen collection are not often possible; thus, many centers rely on serum Aspergillus galactomannan (GM) measurement despite its moderate accuracy for establishing the diagnosis. Assessing plasma with a cell-free DNA polymerase chain reaction (cfDNA PCR) represents a novel alternative that appears more sensitive. Investigators at Stanford University have optimized this assay with singleplex and multiplex techniques to target multiple species of Aspergillus.

In a retrospective case-control study conducted from September 2020 through October 2022, results were assessed from 238 patients (90% immunocompromised) with suspected invasive fungal dise…