Mayo Clinic Laboratories > Infectious diseases > Fungal infections > Invasive fungal infection

Invasive fungal infection

Advanced analysis to clarify a difficult diagnosis

For immunosuppressed patients with nonspecific symptoms due to invasive fungal infections (IFI), diagnosis remains a challenge. Limitations of traditional laboratory testing often result in delayed diagnosis, which is associated with high mortality rates.

Mayo Clinic Laboratories offers rapid in vitro diagnostic screening tests for IFI caused by various fungi, including Aspergillus species, Fusarium species, and Candida species, among others.

Invasive fungal infections Test menu

Serologic testing Serologic testing
Recommended test pairings Recommended test pairings
Additional testing Additional testing

Serologic testing

Fungal biomarker detection, used in conjunction with conventional testing methods, can help to make a presumptive diagnosis of fungal infection prior to symptom progression.

  • Elevated serum levels of β-D-glucan (BDG) are associated with the presence of fungal infections.
  • Detection of Aspergillus galactomannan antigen in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage specimens is associated with invasive aspergillosis.
  • Histoplasma and Blastomyces antigen detection in serum and urine is frequently used to rapidly identify infections with these fungal pathogens.

Key testing

Advantages

  • Detects circulating BDG in serum.
  • Aids in identifying deep-seated fungal infections of fungemia in patients with symptoms of, or with a medical condition predisposing them to, an invasive fungal infection.
  • Note: When positive, repeat testing on a new sample (collected in 3–4 days) is recommended, as serially positive samples are associated with a higher diagnostic odds ratio for invasive fungal infection compared to a single positive result.

Recommended test pairings

Recommended laboratory test pairings are frequently used in conjunction with BDG testing.

Fungal culture

Direct examination

Polymerase chain reaction

Additional testing

Aspergillus

Blastomyces

Coccidioides

Cryptococcus

Histoplasma

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