Abstract
(1-3)-β-D-Glucan (β-glucan) is a major structural component of fungi. The G test is a direct method to detect β-glucan using fractionated (1-3)-β-D-glucan-sensitive component, factor G, eluted from the limulus lysate. Previously, we reported that the G test is a more sensitive method than the mannan detection assay for the serological diagnosis of Candida infection. In this study, we disscuss β-glucanemia in patients with pulmonary aspergillosis and cryptococcosis. The concentration of β-glucan was less than 10pg/ml in 90 of 10 cases of pulmonary cryptococcosis, except for one case receiving hemodialysis (16.5pg/ml). β-Glucan increased in 3 cases of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (27-937pg/ml). Galactomannan antigen was positive in all of those cases. In 8 cases of aspergilloma, which showed fungus ball on roentgenogram, the mean concentration of β-glucan was 67.1±92.7pg/ml. Two of 8 cases were positive for galactomannan antigen. One of three cases of PAIC (productive aspergilloma on the inner wall of a cavity) and one case of chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis showed slightly increased levels of β-glucan and positive results of galactomannan antigen test.
