Blastomyces Antigen Detection for Monitoring Progression of Blastomycosis in a Pregnant Adolescent

Although disseminated blastomycosis is a rare complication in pregnancy, delay in diagnosis and treatment can be fatal. We investigate the use of the Blastomyces urine antigen in diagnosis following disease progression in the intrapartum, postpartum, and neonatal periods. We describe a case of dis...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Megan Tarr, John Marcinak, Kanokporn Mongkolrattanothai, Jennifer L. Burns, L. Joseph Wheat, Michelle Durkin, Mahmoud Ismail
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2007-01-01
Series:Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2007/89059
Description
Summary:Although disseminated blastomycosis is a rare complication in pregnancy, delay in diagnosis and treatment can be fatal. We investigate the use of the Blastomyces urine antigen in diagnosis following disease progression in the intrapartum, postpartum, and neonatal periods. We describe a case of disseminated blastomycosis in a pregnant adolescent and review the pertinent literature regarding treatment and monitoring blastomycosis in pregnancy and the neonatal periods. This is the first reported case in which the Blastomyces urine antigen is utilized as a method of following disease activity during pregnancy confirming absence of clinically evident disease in a neonate. Urine antigen detection for blastomycosis can be useful for following progression of disease in patients with disseminated blastomycosis in both the intrapartum and postpartum periods.
ISSN:1064-7449
1098-0997