Abstract

GARCIA, Nataly et al. Evaluation of a nested PCR for the diagnosis of histoplasmosis in bone marrow specimens. Rev. Soc. Ven. Microbiol. [online]. 2017, vol.37, n.1, pp.17-22. ISSN 1315-2556.

Histoplasmosis is a disease produced by Histoplasma capsulatum which mainly affects immunosuppressed patients, especially those with AIDS. The aim of this study was to compare culture and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) diagnosis in 35 bone marrow specimens, from patients with AIDS and presumptive clinical diagnosis of disseminated histoplasmosis, for H. capsulatum detection. Nested PCR showed values of 80% sensitivity and specificity; 61.5% of positive predictive and 91.1% of negative predictive values, with 80% of agreement with culture. The nPCR evaluated in this study is a valuable and complementary tool for histoplasmosis diagnosis in AIDS patients using bone marrow specimens. These results should be interpreted considering epidemiological aspects and clinical symptoms of the patient, being useful to predict with success the absence of the disease, especially in high prevalence areas.

Keywords : histoplasmosis; Histoplasma capsulatum; AIDS; bone marrow; nested PCR; culture.

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