title: Detection of Pneumocystis jiroveci in respiratory specimens by four staining methods.
abstract: We examined four staining methods on replicate smears of 313 respiratory specimens submitted for Pneumocystis jiroveci examination. The sensitivity and specificity of Calcofluor white stain (CW) were 73.8 and 99.6%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of Grocott-Gomori methenamine silver stain (GMS) were 79.4 and 99.2%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of Diff-Quik stain were 49.2 and 99.6%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of Merifluor Pneumocystis stain were 90.8 and 81.9%, respectively. Only CW and GMS had positive and negative predictive values of >90%.
authors.affiliation: Section of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Clinical Pathology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. procopg@ccf.org
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Procop
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Henshaw
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Reller
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Artymyshyn
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Katanik
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Weinstein
mesh_terms: D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D045363:Pneumocystis carinii / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*