الفهرس 
The Role of PCR Assay Compared to Conventional Laboratory Methods in the Diagnosis of Invasive Fungal InfectionsOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Invasive fungal infections (IFI) have emerged as an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the last decade, especially among immunocompromised patients. The frequency of IFI have increased due to the use of more invasive procedures, more broad-spectrum antimicrobials, and intensified protocols of chemotherapy, leading to an increased demand for early methods of detection of causative agents in order to initiate appropriate treatment as soon as possible. Aim of Work: The current study aimed to evaluate the role of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay as compared to conventional mycological tests in the diagnosis of IFI using bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples done for indicated patients with suspected lower respiratory tract fungal infection, also determining the local cutoff value for Galactomannanpositivity in BAL samples that can be used in our patient population. Patients and Methods: The present study was carried out at the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples received from sixty pediatric Cancer patients with suspected lower respiratory tract IFI in the period between January 2013 and May 2015.Patients included in the study were subjected to clinical examination, radiological and laboratory investigations. BAL samples received at microbiology laboratory were divided into 3 portions on which the following tests were performed:Direct microscopic examination,culture on blood agar.