Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41590467›Full record

ReviewJournal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Diagnostic Biomarkers for Invasive Candidiasis: A Clinician-Oriented Review.

Sebastian George Smadu, Simona Camelia Tetradov, Luminita Ene, Corina Oprisan, Dragoș Ștefan Lazăr, Simin Aysel Florescu

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests forPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Emergence and Comparative Analysis ofJournal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Article
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Sebastian George SmaduDepartment of Infectious Diseases, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 37 Dionisie Lupu Street, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.ORCID 0009-0008-3527-9116
Simona Camelia TetradovDepartment of Infectious Diseases, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 37 Dionisie Lupu Street, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.ORCID 0009-0006-9704-2953
Luminita Ene"Victor Babes" Clinical Hospital for Infectious and Tropical Diseases, 281 Mihai Bravu Street, 030303 Bucharest, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-1608-8575
Corina OprisanDepartment of Infectious Diseases, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 37 Dionisie Lupu Street, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.
Dragoș Ștefan LazărDepartment of Infectious Diseases, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 37 Dionisie Lupu Street, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.ORCID 0009-0002-9772-2482
Simin Aysel FlorescuDepartment of Infectious Diseases, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 37 Dionisie Lupu Street, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-6482-3386

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionA group of approximately 15 Candida species are frequently found to be responsible for human invasive candidiasis, an infection that appears in patients with prolonged hospitalization, particularly in Intensive Care Units, and in immunosuppressed individuals. Given the considerable burden if not rapidly treated, clinicians face diagnostic challenges in distinguishing infection. The objective of this narrative review is to summarize the clinically applicable biomarkers used for invasive candidiasis and to evaluate their performance and create a diagnostic algorithm for clinical practice.

methodsThis narrative review was conducted by searching PubMed and Scopus for studies published between 1990 and 2025, using keywords related to invasive candidiasis and non-culture diagnostic biomarkers. Clinical guidelines and consensus documents from major infectious diseases societies were additionally reviewed to supplement.

resultsBlood cultures, which are considered the "gold standard" for diagnosis, face important fallouts caused by the limited sensitivity of 50%. Polymerase Chain Reaction assays can identify Candida species at an early stage when compared to blood cultures, demonstrating high specificity that ranges between 91% and 98, due to their high cost, and the limitations regarding only the identification of certain species, their widespread use remains limited. Non-culture serological tests such as mannan, anti-mannan and 1-3-β-D-glucan can detect fungal cell wall components or antibodies directed towards them. These tests have the advantage of being performed directly from blood samples. Reported sensitivity and specificity are 83% and 86% for mannan/anti-mannan, and 73% and 80% for 1-3-β-D-glucan, respectively. They are used for early detection of candidemia in high-risk patients, including immunocompromised individuals.

conclusionsOur report suggests that the traditional "gold standard" for diagnosing invasive candidiasis can be improved by integrating and combining novel biomarkers in the diagnostic pathways, and, thus, potentially reducing the time spent for diagnosing and facilitating early treatment access.

Indexed as

1-3-β-D-Glucananti-mannaninvasive candidiasisinvasive candidiasis diagnostic pathwaymannanPCR Candida species

Identifiers

PMID41590467
PMCPMC12843431

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.