title: Detection of Pneumocystis carinii in respiratory specimens by PCR-solution hybridization enzyme-linked immunoassay.
abstract: By using a recently developed PCR-solution hybridization enzyme-linked assay (PCR-SHELA), we investigated Pneumocystis carinii in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples and induced sputa of patients with pneumocystosis. In detecting P. carinii, PCR-SHELA proved more sensitive than immunofluorescence staining or a single PCR and significantly more diagnostically specific than a nested PCR. Our data suggest that PCR-SHELA could be used to detect P. carinii organisms in respiratory samples, particularly in patients with uncertain diagnoses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ortona
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Margutti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tamburrini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mencarini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Visconti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zolfo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siracusano
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology