Barlett MS, Smith JW; Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.
Abstr Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1994 Oct 4-7; 278.
Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN.
Diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in years past required demonstration of organisms in material obtained by open lung biopsy, bronchoscopy or sputum induction. Diagnosis of organisms from sites other than the lung depended upon histochemical evaluation of tissue from biopsy. Serum antibody or antigen detection, although reported useful by some, were not widely used. Histochemical demonstration of both trophic and cyst forms continues to be useful while florescent staining has added sensitivity in detection for some specimens. Use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) employing primers for various regions has allowed detection of P. carinii nucleic acids in bronchoalveolar lavages, induced sputa and sera. Diagnosis from sera promises the least traumatic method of obtaining specimens and may allow monitoring response to therapy. P. carinii may be identified from tissue obtained for other diagnoses or from archived material by PCR or in situ hybridization with P. carinii specific probes. Considerations such as cost, experience of personnel and timeliness of results will influence the methods used in individual laboratories.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Biopsy
- Bronchoscopy
- Evaluation Studies
- In Situ Hybridization
- Pneumocystis Infections
- Pneumonia, Pneumocystis
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Sensitivity and Specificity
- Sputum
- Staining and Labeling
- diagnosis
- therapy
Other ID:
UI: 102213970
From Meeting Abstracts