A NEW SENSITIVE SANDWICH ENZYME-LINKED-IMMUNOSORBENT-ASSAY TO DETECT GALACTOFURAN IN PATIENTS WITH INVASIVE ASPERGILLOSIS

A double-direct sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that uses a rat anti-galactomannan monoclonal antibody as the acceptor and detect or antibody was designed. This immunoassay, which detects less than 1 ng of galactomannan per ml, was assessed in a retrospective study with samples from patients with invasive aspergillosis. Serum is more appr opriate than urine for use in the search for circulating galactomannan . Antigenemia does not have a transient character. Galactomannan can b e detected at least 39 days before the death of the patients.