Hospital Epidemiologic Surveillance for Invasive Aspergillosis: Patient Demographics and the Utility of Antigen Detection

Abstract

Hospital surveillance for aspergillosis should include determination of whether cases are nosocomial or community-acquired, because many may be the latter. Patients at risk for aspergillosis include patients without hematologic malignancies. Enhanced case detection occurred with active surveillance of patients considered to be at risk using both fungal serology and traditional microbiological techniques. Antigen detection was more sensitive and specific for the detection of invasive aspergillosis and may improve epidemiological surveillance for aspergillosis.