title: Potential impact of Pneumocystis genetic diversity on the molecular detection of the parasite in human host.
abstract: Our aim was to evaluate if genetic diversity of Pneumocystis carinii could influence the detection by molecular techniques in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids and in non-invasive specimens (induced sputum, oropharyngeal washing and serum/blood). P. carinii is morphologically similar in different hosts although several strains have been identified by biomolecular techniques. Variations of mt-LSU and ITSs sequences could determine a lack of hybridization of some clinical samples and could have diagnostic consequences with loss in sensitivity and specificity of available molecular tests, but at the moment no data support a significant impact of genetic diversity in these sequences on molecular detection of P. carinii for clinical purposes.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
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: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marinaci
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zinzi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Margutti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ortona
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siracusano
mesh_terms: D017931:DNA Primers; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004271:DNA, Fungal