title: Monoclonal immunofluorescence compared with silver stain for investigating Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
abstract: Two hundred and eighty two specimens from 220 patients positive for HIV with respiratory tract symptoms, or febrile illness, or both, were examined for the presence of Pneumocystis carinii. Specimens were either induced sputum samples or bronchoalveolar lavage fluids. To establish the optimal method for laboratory diagnosis a comparison was made of detection of the organism by use of monoclonal antibody and immunofluorescence with conventional silver staining methods. Three commercially available reagents for immunofluorescence were also compared. Immunofluorescence was significantly more sensitive than the silver stain and the best results for immunofluorescence were obtained using. Northumbria Biologicals Ltd reagents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, St Stephen's Hospital, London.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Midgley
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Shanson
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Francis
mesh_terms: D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic