Aspergillus fumigatus is an ubiquitous fungus capable of
causing severe infections such as aspergilloma, allergic
bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, and invasive aspergillosis,
especially in immunocompromised patients. Monitoring the number
of Aspergillus fumigatus spores in the air is crucial for
infection control. In the present study, a novel approach for
the quantification of Aspergillus fumigatus , based on solid-phase cytometry (SPC) and immunofluorescent labeling, was
developed. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay
were confirmed by testing pure cultures. Paecilomyces
variotii and Rhizopus stolonifer were codetected but could
be excluded on the basis of morphology of the microcolonies.
The SPC method has considerable advantages compared to
the culture-based method, including its low detection limit (4 cells/
m
3
), its speed (results are obtained within 24 h), and the
straightforward microscopic identification of Aspergillus
fumigatus . Additionally, comparison of results obtained with
both methods demonstrated that they are equally accurate for
the quantification of Aspergillus fumigatus in environmental
air sample