Identification of phagocytosed Pneumocystis carinii in human pulmonary alveolar macrophages.
Examination of Papanicolaou-stained bronchoalveolar lavage samples from cases with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis under ultra-violet light reveals alveolar macrophages packed with fluorescent inclusions. Immunoenzymatic staining of the alveolar macrophages with a monoclonal antibody specific for P. carinii (3F6) showed that these inclusions contain intact pneumocysts or their degradation products. Fluorescence microscopy of Papanicolaou-stained smears is advocated as a sensitive and specific method of diagnosing P. carinii infection.
Wehle
K
K
Department of Cytopathology, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Küpper
T
T
Marzahn
S
S
Pfitzer
P
P
D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000382:microbiology*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000382:microbiology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods