Nested PCR for the detection of Aspergillus species in maxillary sinus samples of patients with chronic sinusitis

Background

Fungal rhinosinusitis has become an increasingly recognized disease, being Aspergillus species responsible for most of the cases. Its diagnosis is quite difficult because of the non-specific symptoms and low sensitivity of the current diagnostic methods.

Aims

An Aspergillus-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay using biopsy specimens taken from the maxillary sinuses was performed in order to assess its usefulness. Conventional diagnostic methods (histology and culture) were also carried out.

Methods

A case–control study was performed in the Institute of Stomatology, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, between 2011 and 2014. The case group consisted of 21 patients with suspected rhinosinusal mycetoma while the control group included 46 patients with no suspicion of fungal rhinosinusitis. The two-step PCR assay amplified an Aspergillus specific portion of the 18S rRNA gene. Interval estimation of sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values were calculated to assess the diagnostic test performance. The agreement between the PCR and the other tests was evaluated using the Kappa coefficient (k).

Results

Ninety percent of the samples obtained from patients diagnosed with mycetoma yielded positive PCR results. The PCR showed almost perfect concordance with histology (k = 0.88). Sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV estimates were 90%; 95% CI: (55.5–99.7%), 98.3%; 95% CI: (90.9–100%), 90%; 95% CI: (55.5–99.7%) and 98.3%; 95% CI: (90.9–100%), respectively. One clinical sample showed growth of Aspergillus fumigatus and positive PCR despite the negative histological examination.

Conclusions

Nested PCR assay is a promising diagnostic tool to evaluate the presence of Aspergillus in the tissue of maxillary sinus from patients with suspicion of sinus aspergillosis.