Diagnostic Test
Used to diagnose the following:
Candida spp.
Acremonium
Aspergillus spp.
Fusarium spp.
Trichosporon spp.
Nocardia (Five published cases, two in PubMed and three in my blog).
Not
Cryptococcus, Absidia, Mucor, Rhizopus, Blastomyces dermatitidis.
False Postive
Hemodialysis with cellulose membranes, administration of human blood products such as immunoglobulins or albumin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, presence of serious bacterial infections, surgical gauzes containing glucan, and severe mucositis.
No longer piperacillin-tazobactam, where improved manufacturing has removed contamination with galactomannan (PubMed).
It will be elevated for 5 days following bowel surgery (PubMed).
False Negative
Beta D glucan is sucked up by WBC, so a more reliable test in leukopenics.
Pearls
The higher the value and a lack of response to medications are a bad prognostic sign.
No surprise to me, half the time when it was ordered by non-ID doctors it was inappropriate (PubMed). So if you think you want to order it, perhaps call ID first. It is kind of expensive.
Curious Cases
Relevant links to my Medscape blog
In Medicine You Can Never Know Enough
Last Update: 12/17/18.