What blood test detects fungal infection?

[higheruniverse]

What blood test detects fungal infection?

[HannahBenson]

For Higheruniverse:

Hi...I don't know what blood test will show that you have a fungal infection but I have read that there is one. I would like to find out what drug level blood test show (a specific number or count?) in order to say that a level has been reached where you can stop the anti fungal or go on a maintenance dosage.

Hannah

[higheruniverse in reply to HannahBenson]

Hi Hannah, do you have co?

[HannahBenson in reply to higheruniverse]

co? Sorry...I don't know ...does that stand for copd? I have asthma, bronchiectasis, and ABPA.

[higheruniverse in reply to HannahBenson]

Candida overgrowth. I’m positive my mum has it and we’re struggling to get her gp to confirm it.

[HannahBenson in reply to higheruniverse]

No..to my knowledge I don't have that...I have an allergic Aspergillus which is a mold hypersensitivity. My mother would get chronic UTI infections and they did not have all of the meds they have today to treat...hope your mother can get to her GYN or GP and get something for it.

[GAtherton Administrator Fungal Infection Trust in reply to HannahBenson]

Antifungal drug level tests are quite specialised and in the UK are carried out by NHS accredited laboratories such as MRCM here in Manchester. I doubt that these are available to the general public, your doctor is the best place to go if you are concerned mycologymanchester.org/inde...

The purpose of these tests is to establish that the drug levels in your blood are neither too low (when it won't be as effective in fighting infection) or too high (when you might start experiencing side effects). Once reached the patient must keep taking the dose required to keep blood drug levels steady until told otherwise by a doctor.

If by 'maintenance dose' you are suggesting a lower dose than specified by the guidelines for using that drug then that simply won't work for most antifungal drugs. It may, in fact, promote the risk of growth of a drug-resistant strain of the fungus, making the antifungal you are using useless.

[HannahBenson in reply to GAtherton]

Thank you for your reply. I have completed 3mos. of itraconazole and now am taking 200 mg. a day instead of 400 mg. a day. MY blood levels must be sufficient as my Dr. said I could certainly lower my dosage. I think he wanted to take me off altogether as I have some trouble with side effects but I told him that I have read that a maintenance level should be tried ... that stopping completely would possibly throw me back into an asthma and aspergillus relapse.My Pulmonologist wants to check my blood levels in 3 weeks to make sure I am maintaining the level where the anti fungal is working on 200mg. That is what was discussed with him although I am concerned by you saying about drug resistance. I have read in this discussion group that there seem to be people who have maintained a lower dose of itraconzole for a long time...some as low as 100 mg. a day. If this is not something that would run the risk of having a a problem with resistance...I would really like to get there as the itraconazole makes me extremely tired and feeling as if I am in a fog. Even cutting down from 4 hundred to 2hundred a day has made a difference. I am maintaining my asthma improvement on 5mg. a day Prednisone now and would like to go lower still if possible but will see if I am able to lower the itraconazole dose successfully first. Would I be better off taking a Xolair injection monthly in order to stop Prednisone? I have also read that Prednisone can exacerbate ABPA and yet my Dr. says that Prednisone IS the standard procedure for ABPA .... He wants me off all inhaled steriods eventually and to control my asthma with low dose Prednisone. It is all confusing and obviously my Pulmonologist is not treating many ABPA patients and is reading up on treatment as I am. Please advise...Thank you Hannah

[GAtherton Administrator Fungal Infection Trust in reply to HannahBenson]

You must stay within the right (therapeutic) range of itraconazole and only by looking at the levels of itraconazole in your blood can we tell what dose will achieve that, your doctor will advise.

Once you have found a stable, effective level of itraconazole you may then be guided by your doctor to lower prednisone - however, it is vitally important that any changes to the levels of any drug you are taking are only taken in consultation with a medical doctor. Do not attempt this without their close supervision.

Prednisone is the standard treatment for ABPA, its use must be monitored for the reasons you mention and others. Prednisone works by reducing the allergic symptoms you often experience when you have ABPA, enabling you to breathe more comfortably, but it can also mean that you are a little more susceptible to infection so doctors will try to keep your dose down as much as possible. Be sure to advise your doctor of any changes in your symptoms as that is an important part of the management process.

Xolair can help reduce prednisone use if you are offered it, it may well be worth a trial but it doesn't work for everyone.

[HannahBenson in reply to GAtherton]

Thank you for your reply. I have... with the knowledge of my Dr., reduced my itraconazole from 400 to 200 mg daily (5 days now) and I am less tired and still breathing well.... I will be getting my blood tested on the 16th of this month (two weeks after start of lower dose) to make sure my levels are still sufficient. If they are...I will stay on the 200 mg. My recent sputum (1 wk ago) did not show Aspergillus but the broncoscopy did a few months back and I had aspergillus in sputum for months before the bronc. The itraconazole has enabled me to cut down my steroid in oral and nebulized form. I am down from 40 to 5mg. Pred daily (been on 5mg. for over two weeks now) and. Also, Instead of steroid .05 twice a day in nebulizer ...I am now on .02 1/2 mg. vial of Budesonide in Nebulizer once a day. My recent spirometry is very good...my blood oxygen is 98 percent (what it was before I began the ABPA symptoms. I just don't want to chance being thrown back into another round of high dose steriods and nebulizer treatments but I do have hopes of being able to stop the anti fungal . If I do manage to maintain the blood level necessary for the anti fungal to be working at 200 mg. a day....how often do I need to check my blood to see that this level is maintained? I am worried about drug resistance. Since I have been on Itraconazole for 3 months and have improved so much... is the 200 mg. that I take now a long term dosage or if I maintain my improvement, will I be able to stop the anti fungal entirely ?

...thank you for giving me such informative replies. I really does ease my worries so much.....cannot thank you enough.

Hannah

[Cataleya2018]

Buna, am scris despre mine, am aspergiloza pulmonara si am fost operata de 2 ori la plamanul stang, a 2 oara aveam deja aspergilom. Eu am facut din sange antigen aspergillus ( galactoman), si anticorpi aspergillus fumingatus Ig A Ig G Ig M. Anticorpii au iesit foarte mari, antigenul negativ. La sputa mi-a iesit de multe ori pozitiv, vad mucegaiul in sputa si scuip sange de aproape 2 ani. Sper sa te ajute informatia de la mine. Eu sunt din Romania, nici medicul meu nu ma trimis sa fac din sange pana nu i-am spus ca in Italia se face in 3 moduri analiza. Abia dupa inca 6 luni de chin in care m-am simtit foarte rau chiar si cu voriconazol, aproape era sa mor, am ajuns la un profesor, care a vazut pe ct ca pe stanga era deja aspergilom si trebuia operat din nou. Am mai facut din sange LLT se spune ca e cea mai aproape de adevar. Eram deja in a 6 luna de voriconazol, si la analiza a iesit ca nu e activ aspergillus, dar la bronhoscopie sa vazut foarte clar, era deja urat, mi-a scos 2 bucati din plaman a 2 oara. Nici analizele nu ies intotdeauna pozitiv chiar daca ai infectie invaziva. O dovada am fost eu, i-a surprins si pe doctorii care ma treateaza, dar din pacate e o boala rara si nu multi doctori o cunosc, la noi in zona sunt singura cu aceasta boala si nu au mai avut pacinti ca mine cu bronsiectazie operata si apergiloza.

[Blobie]

I'm was told by GP there's no blood test to detect for fungal infections or what type fungi infeared you? I'm asked for a blood test cos it know threshold a dept in Wythenshawe Hospital for fungal infections but only referral by GP or health professionals will allow you treatment. It's all finances and budget costs at surgeries now yet it see price list for private practice and NHS prices i was prepaired to pay NHS for full fungal treatment and testing. If am fed up having tie my head up with scarves in that ashamed and embarrassed about my head. If know how and what and when it was bitten in know what occurs with my hair during after washing in was born WHITE HAIRED WENT VERY FAIR AS OLDER BUT NEVER NEVER NEVER HADID BLACK HAIR ON MY LIFE THAT'S THE SEVERITY OF MY FUNGAL INFECTED HEAD IT'S SPREADING THRU MY BODY. It maybe 65 yrs but it ain't senile demented or ready lie down wait to expire in am the new 55yrs. If want my hair body and life back.