Intérêt de l'amplification génique à l'aide d'amorces universelles dans le diagnostic des infections fongiques chez le patient immunodéprimé

The diagnostic of invasive fungal infection is often difficult because of the low sensitivity of fungal culture from infected tissues. Here we have assessed the ability of a panfungal PCR targeted on the DNA region encoding the RNA genes followed by sequencing of the amplification products to detect and identify fungi from tissue biopsies. This assay allowed us to identify the microorganism responsible for an invasive fungal infection in three of our patients. In two cases, hepatosplenic candidiasis was suspected and Candida albicans DNA was detected from liver biopsies. The third patient was cared for a thymome and developed a manubrium osteitis caused by Scedosporium apiospermum.