Development and evaluation of a novel fast broad-range PCR and sequencing assay (FBR-PCR/S) using dual priming oligonucleotides targeting the ITS/LSU gene regions for rapid diagnosis of invasive fungal diseases: multi-year experience in a large Canadian healthcare zone

Table 1 Clinical specimens tested in validation of broad range fungal PCR/sequencing assay

Fungal culture^a	Bronchoalveolar lavages (BALs)	Lung/Bronchial/Pleural	Cerebrospinal fluids (CSFs)	Other sterile fluids^b	Other sterile tissues^c	Total
Positive	34	3	2	9	7	55
Negative	5	6	3	9	16	39
Not Ordered	0	3	9	7	1	20
Total	39 (34.2%)	12 (10.5%)	14 (12.3%)	25 (22%)	24 (21%)	114

^aSpecimens where fungal culture was not ordered but bacterial cultures grew yeast/fungi were counted as positive
^bNo fungal culture was done on a CSF that tested negative for Cryptococcal antigen. Includes peritoneal/dialysates (n = 6), synovial/spine disc (n = 5), abdominal (n = 5), sinus/nose aspirate (n = 4), liver abscess (n = 3), brain/subdural (n = 1) and periorbital (n = 1)
^cIncludes heart (n = 6), brain (2), shoulder/hip membrane (n = 4), spine/vertebra (n = 2), bone foot/mandible (n = 2), mediastinal lymph node (n = 2), skin biopsy (n = 2), neck (n = 1), cheek (n = 1), parotid gland (n = 1)

ISSN: 1471-2334