Fungitell, BAL
Use
The Fungitell beta-D glucan assay detects (1,3)-beta-D-glucan from several pathogenic fungi including Candida species, Acremonium, Aspergillus species, Coccidioides immitis, Fusarium species, Histoplasma capsulatum, Trichosporon species, Sporothrix schenckii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Pneumocystis jiroveci. The test is significant for diagnosing fungal infections, especially in immunocompromised patients.
Special Instructions
Specimen preferred as bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) collected in a sterile container, with a volume of 1 to 3 mL. Samples should be shipped frozen to ensure stability and accuracy of results.
Limitations
This assay does not detect fungal species like Cryptococcus, due to low levels of (1,3)-beta-D-glucan, nor Zygomycetes such as Absidia, Mucor, and Rhizopus, which do not produce (1,3)-beta-D-glucan. Additionally, Blastomyces dermatitidis is typically not detected because of little (1,3)-beta-D-glucan production in its yeast phase.
New York Approved
Methodology
Other
Biomarkers
Result Turnaround Time
3-6 days
Related Documents
For more information, please review the documents below
Specimen
Bronchoalveolar Lavage
Volume
1 to 3 mL
Minimum Volume
0.5 mL
Container
Sterile container
Collection Instructions
Collect 1 to 3 mL bronchial lavage in a sterile container. Ship frozen.
Causes for Rejection
Hemolysis, Lipemia, Icterus, Universal transport media.
Stability Requirements
| Temperature | Period |
|---|---|
| Room Temperature | 4 days |
| Refrigerated | 7 days |
| Frozen | 30 days |