Lateral-Flow Device for Diagnosis of Fungal Infection

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a life-threatening complication of haematological malignancy and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation caused by the ubiquitous fungus Aspergillus. Current diagnosis of IA is multifaceted relying on data from clinical, radiological, and microbiological sources. The detection of Aspergillus biomarkers provides strategies both to pre-empt and to exclude disease, but the choice of biomarker assays is limited, requiring specialist equipment and training. This review examines recent advances in the accurate diagnosis of IA through the development of an Aspergillus lateral-flow device (LFD) incorporating a monoclonal antibody, JF5, which detects an antigenic marker of active infection. Recent trials using bronchoalveolar lavage fluids and serum samples from humans and from animal models of disease, have demonstrated the utility of the LFD as a rapid and user-friendly adjunct test for the quick and accurate diagnosis of pulmonary infections.