Seroprevalence of <i>Aspergillus</i>-Specific IgG Antibody among Mozambican Tuberculosis Patients

• Main Authors: Helmut J. F. Salzer, Isabel Massango, Nilesh Bhatt, Emelva Machonisse, Maja Reimann, Sven Heldt, Christoph Lange, Michael Hoelscher, Celso Khosa, Andrea Rachow
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
• Series: Journal of Fungi
• Subjects: <i>Aspergillus</i> IgG antibody; seroprevalence; chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA); tuberculosis (TB); human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); Mozambique
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/8/595

Background: Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) is a life-threatening sequel in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). <i>Aspergillus</i>-specific IgG antibody is a useful diagnostic biomarker supporting CPA diagnosis, especially in countries with limited health recourses. Methods: We conducted a prospective pilot study to assess the seroprevalence of <i>Aspergillus</i>-specific IgG antibodies among 61 Mozambican tuberculosis patients before, during, and after the end of TB treatment. <i>Aspergillus</i>-specific IgG antibody levels were measured using the ImmunoCAP^®. Results: In this study, 3 out of 21 HIV-negative PTB patients had a positive <i>Aspergillus</i>-specific IgG antibody level before, during, and after the end of TB treatment. Antibody levels were 41.1, 45.5, and 174 mg/L at end of treatment (EOT), respectively. Additionally, two HIV-negative PTB patients with negative <i>Aspergillus</i>-specific IgG antibody levels at baseline became seropositive at EOT (41.9 and 158 mg/L, respectively). Interestingly, none of the HIV-positive PTB patients (40/61) had a positive <i>Aspergillus</i>-specific IgG antibody level at any time, neither at baseline nor at EOT. Probable CPA was diagnosed in one HIV-negative patient (5%; 1/20). Conclusion: Seroprevalence of <i>Aspergillus</i>-specific IgG antibody may differ between HIV-negative and HIV-positive Mozambican PTB patients. Future studies evaluating post-tuberculosis lung disease should integrate CPA as a life-threatening sequel to PTB.