[Comparison of 2 dyes in the detection of Pneumocystis carinii].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate two staining procedures used in the detection of P. carinii.


METHODS
Bronchoalveolar lavage samples were obtained from 20 immunosupressed rats. The samples were stained by three procedures: o-toluidine blue (OTB), Diff Quik (DQ), and a silver stain as the gold standard. The microscopic search for P. carinii was made independently by two observers.


RESULTS
Fifteen of the 20 samples were positive to P. carinii with the silver stain. The sensitivity with DQ was 27% and the specificity 100%. With OTB the sensitivity was 93% and the specificity was 80%. The inter-raters' agreement by kappa was 0.11 for DQ and 0.53 for OTB.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the silver stain should be used for an adequate diagnosis of pneumonia caused by P. carinii.
Casanova-Cardiel
L J
LJ
Hospital de Infectología, Centro Médico La Raza, IMSS Vallejo y Jacarandas, México, D.F.
Cedillo-Rivera
R
R
Garduño-Rodríguez
G
G
Muñoz
O
O
D000818:Animals; D001399:Azure Stains; D004396:Coloring Agents; D008297:Male; D008751:Methylene Blue; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016622:Silver Staining; D014048:Tolonium Chloride; D014966:Xanthenes
D001399:Azure Stains; D004396:Coloring Agents; C067461:Diff Quik; D014966:Xanthenes; D014048:Tolonium Chloride; D008751:Methylene Blue