Modification of the fungi-fluor and the genetic systems fluorescent antibody methods for detection of Pneumocystis carinii in bronchoalveolar lavage specimens
Stager, C.E.; Fraire, A.E.; Kim, H.S.; Estrada, R.; Davis, J.R.; Greenberg, D.; Guy, E.S.; Guntupalli, K.K.; McBride, R.A.
Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine 119(2): 142-147
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-9985 PMID: 7531427 Document Number: 439491
Four hundred forty-five bronchoalveolar lavage specimens from patients with the human immunodeficiency virus were preserved in Saccomano's fixative and stained for Pneumocystis carinii cysts by a modified method with Fungi-Fluor Solution A (Polysciences, Warrington, Pa) and the Genetic Systems Pneumocystis carinii Immunofluorescence Antibody (Genetic Systems Corp, Seattle, Wash). The majority of patients had been treated for suspected P. carinii pneumonia for a few days prior to collection of bronchoalveolar lavage specimens. P. carinii cysts were detected in 194 (43.6%) specimens. Both stains identified P. carinii in 1 66 (37.3%) specimens and were negative in 251 (56.4%), yielding a concordance rate of 93.7%. P. carinii cysts were detected in 25 (5.6%) specimens by the Genetic Systems stain only, and in 3 (0.7%) specimens by the Fungi-Fluor stain only. The sensitivity for detecting cysts of P. carinii was significantly greater with the Genetic Systems stain (P lt .01).