Johns Hopkins University School of Medicinegrid.471401.7, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Vanderbilt University Medical Centergrid.412807.8, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
J Clin Microbiol. 2022 Oct 19;60(10):e0112822. doi: 10.1128/jcm.01128-22. Epub 2022 Oct 3.
Establishing diagnosis of latent and active histoplasmosis is challenging. Interferon gamma-release assays (IGRAs) may provide evidence of latent and active infection. An enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay was developed using yeast cell lysate (YCL) antigen prepared from a representative North American Histoplasma capsulatum strain. Assay parameters were optimized by measuring responses in healthy volunteers with and without infection. Assay performance as an aid for diagnosing histoplasmosis was assessed in a prospective cohort of 88 people with suspected or confirmed infection, and 44 healthy controls enrolled in two centers in North America (2013 to 2018). Antigen specificity of IFN-γ release was demonstrated using ELISpot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Antigen-evoked, single-cell mRNA expression by memory T cells was shown using flow cytometry. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was estimated at 0.89 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 78.5% to 99.9%). At optimal cutoff, sensitivity was 77.2% (95% CI: 54.6% to 92.2%) and specificity was 100% (95% CI: 89.7% to 100%). Sixteen of 44 healthy volunteers (36.4%) from a region of hyperendemicity had positive responses, suggesting detection of previously unrecognized (latent) infection. The ELISpot assay is sensitive and specific as an aid to diagnose H. capsulatum infection and disease, supporting proof of concept and further development.
确立潜伏性和活动性组织胞浆菌病的诊断具有挑战性。干扰素γ释放检测(IGRAs)可能为潜伏性和活动性感染提供证据。本研究使用来自代表性的北美荚膜组织胞浆菌菌株的酵母细胞裂解物(YCL)抗原开发了酶联免疫斑点(ELISpot)检测。通过测量感染和未感染健康志愿者的反应来优化检测参数。在北美两个中心的 88 例疑似或确诊感染患者和 44 例健康对照者前瞻性队列研究中评估了该检测作为辅助诊断组织胞浆菌病的性能(2013 年至 2018 年)。使用 ELISpot 和酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)证明了 IFN-γ释放的抗原特异性。使用流式细胞术显示了记忆 T 细胞对抗原诱发的单细胞 mRNA 表达。通过计算获得的受试者工作特征曲线(ROC)下面积(AUC)为 0.89(95%置信区间[CI]:78.5%至 99.9%)。在最佳截断值时,敏感性为 77.2%(95%CI:54.6%至 92.2%),特异性为 100%(95%CI:89.7%至 100%)。来自高流行地区的 44 例健康志愿者中有 16 例(36.4%)的检测结果为阳性,提示检测到先前未被识别的(潜伏性)感染。ELISpot 检测具有作为辅助诊断荚膜组织胞浆菌感染和疾病的敏感性和特异性,支持概念验证和进一步发展。