title: Noninvasive method for monitoring Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
abstract: The progression of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was temporally monitored and quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction of P. carinii-specific DNA in oral swabs and lung homogenates from infected rats. DNA levels correlated with the number of P. carinii organisms in the rats' lungs, as enumerated by microscopic methods. This report is the first of a noninvasive, antemortem method that can be used to monitor infection in a host over time.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Linke
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rebholz
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Melanie T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Cushion
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*; D045363:Pneumocystis carinii / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial