Abstract
Circulating Pneumocystis jirovecii DNA and (1→3)-β-d-glucan determined in 70 serum samples from immunocompromised patients were compared to fungal load in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Both serum biomarkers are influenced by pulmonary fungal load, which should be taken into account when diagnosing Pneumocystis infection.
MeSH terms
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Biomarkers / blood
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Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / microbiology*
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Cohort Studies
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Colony Count, Microbial*
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DNA, Fungal / blood*
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Humans
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Immunocompromised Host
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Pneumocystis carinii / chemistry
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Pneumocystis carinii / genetics
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Pneumocystis carinii / isolation & purification*
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Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / diagnosis
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Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / microbiology
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Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / pathology*
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Proteoglycans
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Retrospective Studies
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beta-Glucans / blood*
Substances
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Biomarkers
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DNA, Fungal
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Proteoglycans
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beta-Glucans
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polysaccharide-K