New FECMM paper on a novel urine biomarker for diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis: Triacetylfusarinine C

During active growth Aspergillus fumigatus produce siderophores (i.e., low molecular mass iron chelators) to obtain iron for growth and to overcome iron restriction by the host. The most secreted siderophore of A. fumigatus is triacetylfusarinine C (TAFC). This paper investigated the potaential of TAFC measurements in urine for dignosing invasive aspergillosis in patients with hematological malignancies. This paper by Martin Hoenigl, FECMM, and published in the Journal of Infection showed that urine TAFC normalized to urine creatinine showed sensitivity and specificity similar to those reported for GM determination in serum and BALF, warranting further exploration of this promising new biomarker.