VIPcheckā¢
VIPcheckā¢ is an CE approved easy-to-use assay, that enables rapid and reliable detection of all types of azole resistance inĀ Aspergillus fumigatusculture. Extensive validation shows excellent test characteristics: sensitivity of 97% and specificity of 98%, even when performed by technicians not trained in mycology.
VIPcheckā¢ can be used in every clinical microbiology laboratory and helps to determine which isolates need full in vitro susceptibility testing.
Aspergillus fumigatusĀ causes a range of diseases in humans including allergic syndromes but also acute invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients. For the management of diseases we rely on azole drugs, including itraconazole, voriconazole and posaconazole. These agents are effective if the isolate is susceptible to the azole class of drugs.
VIPCheckā¢ is manufactured byĀ Mediaproducts BV. A company that provides screening plates for numerous institutes all over the world.
The VIPcheckā¢ method consists of a 4-wells plate, which contains agar supplemented with 3 medical azoles (Voriconazole, Itraconazole and Posaconazole, VIP) and a growth control. The assay is rapid, requires no specific technical skills, and detects all azole resistance mechanisms, and therefore can be used in every microbiology laboratory. VIPcheckā¢ results can be reliably read after one day if growth ofĀ Aspergillus fumigatusĀ is visible, and in all isolates after 2 days of incubation at 35-37Ā°C.
MultipleĀ Aspergillus fumigatusĀ colonies from a patients culture can be tested using a single VIPcheckā¢-plate, and if a mixed azole-susceptible and azole-resistant colonies are present, the azole-resistant colonies will grow. We recommend to determine the in vitro susceptibility (MIC) for all colonies that grow on any of the agars that contain an azole.