Immunodetection of Pneumocystis carinii in bronchoalveolar lavage specimens compared with methenamine silver stain.
Immunodetection of Pneumocystis carinii, based on immunofluorescence and use of a monoclonal antibody specific for an antigen located within the cyst wall and detectable after trypsin digestion only, was compared with a methenamine silver stain in 553 bronchoalveolar lavage specimens from immunosuppressed patients. P. carinii was found by immunofluorescence in 72 (86%) and by silver stain in 68 (81%) of the total of 84 positive samples detected by either or both of these methods.
Laboratory Department, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
I
I
Lautenschlager
O
O
Lyytikainen
L
L
Jokipii
A
A
Jokipii
A
A
Maiche
T
T
Ruutu
P
P
Tukiainen
P
P
Ruutu
D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008709:Methenamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000175:diagnosis; D016622:Silver Staining
D008709:Methenamine