Inter-laboratory comparison of three different real-time PCR assays for the detection of Pneumocystis jiroveci in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples.
Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) is an opportunistic infection affecting immunocompromised patients. While conventional diagnosis of PCP by microscopy is cumbersome, the use of PCR to diagnose PCP has great potential. Nevertheless, inter-laboratory validation and standardization of PCR assays is lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inter-laboratory agreement of three independently developed real-time PCR assays for the detection of P. jiroveci in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples. Therefore, 124 samples were collected in three tertiary care laboratories (Leiden University Medical Center, Maastricht Infection Center and Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre) and were tested by both microscopy and real-time PCR. Of 41 samples positive for P. jiroveci by microscopy, 40 were positive in all three PCR assays. The remaining sample was positive in a single assay only. Out of 83 microscopy-negative samples, 69 were negative in all three PCR assays. The other 14 samples were found positive, either in all three assays (n=5), in two (n=2) or in one of the assays (n=7). The data demonstrate high inter-laboratory agreement among real-time PCR assays for the detection of P. jiroveci.
Linssen
Catharina F M
CFM
Department of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht Infection Center (MINC), University Hospital Maastricht, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Jacobs
Jan A
JA
Department of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht Infection Center (MINC), University Hospital Maastricht, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Beckers
Pieter
P
Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (RUNMC), PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Templeton
Kate E
KE
Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
Bakkers
Judith
J
Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (RUNMC), PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Kuijper
Ed J
EJ
Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
Melchers
Willem J G
WJG
Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (RUNMC), PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Drent
Marjolein
M
Department of Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Maastricht, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Vink
Cornelis
C
Department of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht Infection Center (MINC), University Hospital Maastricht, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.
D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008853:Microscopy; D045363:Pneumocystis carinii / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000592:standards*; D013223:Statistics as Topic