Detection of Pneumocystis carinii in oropharyngeal washings by PCR-SHELA and nested PCR

E Tamburrini; E Ortona; E Visconti; P Margutti; P Mencarini; M Zolfo; S Marinaci; A Siracusano

doi:10.1111/j.1550-7408.1997.tb05769.x

Detection of Pneumocystis carinii in oropharyngeal washings by PCR-SHELA and nested PCR

J Eukaryot Microbiol. 1997 Nov-Dec;44(6):48S. doi: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1997.tb05769.x.

Authors

E Tamburrini¹, E Ortona, E Visconti, P Margutti, P Mencarini, M Zolfo, S Marinaci, A Siracusano

Affiliation

¹ Dept. Infectious Diseases, Università Cattolica S. Cuore, Rome, Italy.

PMID: 9508433
DOI: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1997.tb05769.x

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.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / diagnosis*
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / microbiology
Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
Humans
Molecular Probe Techniques
Nasal Lavage Fluid / microbiology
Oropharynx / microbiology*
Pneumocystis / isolation & purification*
Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / diagnosis*
Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / microbiology
Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
Sensitivity and Specificity