ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INCIDENCE OF ASPERGILLUS ANTIGENEMIA AND EXPOSURETO CONSTRUCTION WORKS AT A HOSPITAL SITE

During the course of extensive building activity in the vicinity of bo ne marrow transplantation wards, the patients were routinely screened for the occurrence of Aspergillus galactomannan antigen in serum. In 1 9 (6.7%) out of 285 patients, an antigenemia was detected. Eleven (58% ) of the 19 antigenemic patients suffered from autopsy-proven or clini cally suspected invasive aspergillosis. The yearly incidence of antige nemic patients differed significantly, ranging from 0% in the year wit hout building activities to 20.9% in the year with major activities, p articularly interior completion works and landscaping. It is concluded that Aspergillus antigen monitoring of bone marrow transplant recipie nts has a limited value for the diagnosis of manifest invasive aspergi llosis. However, it it epidemiologically useful to assess the extent o f intensive contact with aspergilli and to control the effectivity of preventive measures.