PCR-based methods for the detection of fungal DNA in patients with chronic liver disease

Objective: Patients with end-stage liver disease are at high risk for fungal infections and candida species are the most frequently detected pathogens causing serious infections in this patient group. However, due to limited sensitivity of culture-based standard diagnostic procedures we applied a culture-independent PCR assay targeting the 18S rRNA gene for the detection of fungal DNA in sterile and colonised material such as whole blood, ascites, intestinal fluid and bile fluid. Methods: 319 samples (150 whole blood, 93 ascites, 64 intestinal fluid, 12 bile fluid) from 150 patients predominantly with decompensa…