title: Detection of Pneumocystis carinii in oropharyngeal washings by PCR-SHELA and nested PCR.
abstract: Oropharyngeal washings (Ophs) from 27 HIV infected patients (18 with P. carinii pneumonia, PCP, and 9 without PCP) were examined for P. carinii using morphological staining and DNA amplification with PCR-SHELA and nested PCR methods. The comparison of these techniques shows that 1. the amplification of P. carinii DNA is more sensitive than (and as specific as) morphological staining; 2. PCR-SHELA is less sensitive than (and as specific as) nested PCR.
authors.affiliation: Dept. Infectious Diseases, Università Cattolica S. Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tamburrini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ortona
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Visconti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Margutti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mencarini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zolfo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marinaci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siracusano
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity