Fig. 4

Venn-diagrams with section-analysis comparing the outcomes of Platelia Aspergillus GM-EIA and facC-PCR. TP true-positive, FN false-negative, TN true-negative, FP false-positive. Cases (proven and probable IA) with positive GM-EIA and PCR results were regarded as true positive (TP) while those with negative outcomes were considered to be false negative (FN). Controls (unclassified patients with no EORTC/MSG evidence of IA) with negative GM-EIA and PCR results were coded to true negative (TN) and those with positive outcomes false positive (FP). a 27 of 32 (84 %) and 9 of 24 (38 %) serum samples from cases (proven/probable) proved to be true positive (TP) when testing with facC-PCR and GM-EIA respectively. GM-EIA failed to detect 15 of 24 and facC-PCR 5 of 32 samples. Section analysis: 8 of 24 specimens from cases (33 %) proved to be true positive (TP) with both assays and 3 of 24 (8 %) found to be negative (FN) by both of them. There was only one specimen (4 %) of 24 that was missed by facC-PCR but not by GM-EIA. 50 % of specimens (12 of 24) however were detected only by PCR but not with GM-EIA. b 51 of 53 (96 %) and 44 of 53 (83 %) serum specimens from controls (unclassified patients with no evidence of IA) proved to be negative (TN) thus 2 of 53 (3,8 %) and 9 of 53 (17 %) were undetected. There were 9 of 53 (17 %) specimens that proved to be false-positive with PCR but real-negative with GM and only 2 of 53 (4 %) that proved to be false-positive with GM-EIA but true-negative with facC-PCR. Section analysis: 83 % of specimens (44 of 53) remained consistently negative with both of the assays but there were none that proved to be false-positive when testing with both methods