At the end of last year, Beta-D-Glucan (BDG) was brought in-house at SWLP. BDG is a fungal cell wall component of many fungi including Candida sp., Aspergillus spp., and Pneumocystis spp.
The detection of BDG in patients’ serum has the potential to facilitate early and rapid diagnosis of invasive fungal infection (IFI) in immunocompromised patients where the prevalence of IFI is higher. In critical care patients, where the prevalence of IFI is lower, the value of BDG lies in its ability to rule out IFI potentially enabling the withholding or discontinuation of empiric antifungal therapy.
BGD samples were previously sent to the UKSHA Mycology Reference Laboratory, and the median turnaround time was around 10 days, not least because the results were received by post. The median turnaround time using the new in-house assay is around two days, which facilitates a greater impact on antifungal stewardship when the result is negative.
The faster turnaround time benefits patients, as it may limit their exposure unnecessary and potentially toxic drugs and may reduce the risk of the emergence of antifungal resistance. In addition, there are cost savings as antifungal drugs do not need to be prescribed if they are not needed.
Feedback from clinical teams has been highly positive as quicker results allow them to make prompt decisions about the care and treatment of patients.
