(1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan--a new marker for the early serodiagnosis of deep-seated fungal infections in humans.

Until recently, the diagnosis of systemic mycoses was mainly based on traditional methods producing late and inconclusive results. Currently used methods of serological diagnostics are generally based on detection of cell wall components of selected pathogenic fungal species--mannoproteins, functioning as a antigenic markers. There are big hopes for adaptation of commercially available assays to detect (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan because of the fact that its presence in blood and normally sterile body fluids should lead to initiation of the diagnostic workup of invasive fungal infection. Monitoring (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan antigenemia is useful in predicting the therapeutic outcome of patients with invasive aspergillosis and in combination with galactomannan detection to identify false-positive reactions. The simultaneous use of both tests is probably more pertinent for the differentiation between yeast and mould infections.