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Innovative Approaches for Histoplasma Detection

  • Clinical Mycology Lab Issues (S Cordoba, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Fungal Infection Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review highlights innovative approaches for histoplasmosis detection using laboratory technologies published in the past 6 years.

Recent Findings

Microscopy and culture are the gold standards for confirming the diagnosis of histoplasmosis, but these can be slow, and their sensitivity and specificity can vary. It is well known that rapid diagnosis is necessary to save lives. Newer technologies based on detection of antibodies, antigens, and DNA can enable rapid and accurate clinical diagnosis.

Summary

Based on a systematic review of the literature and evaluation of methodologies in five areas, assay accuracy, rapid testing, point of care testing, commercial availability, and use in animal diagnosis and environmental detection, we describe innovative approaches for detection of Histoplasma/histoplasmosis.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Acknowledgments

We want to thank Mark Mezzullo and Pooja Gandhi for editing the manuscript, Karlyn D. Beer for manuscript review, and Martha Knuth for developing the systematic review of the literature.

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Correspondence to Diego H. Caceres.

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Diego Caceres, Norma Fernandez, and Shawn Lockhart declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this manuscript.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Caceres, D.H., Fernandez, N.B. & Lockhart, S.R. Innovative Approaches for Histoplasma Detection. Curr Fungal Infect Rep 14, 310–316 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12281-020-00393-4

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