MODIFICATION OF THE FUNGI-FLUOR AND THE GENETIC SYSTEMS FLUORESCENT-ANTIBODY METHODS FOR DETECTION OF PNEUMOCYSTIS-CARINII IN BRONCHOALVEOLAR LAVAGE SPECIMENS

Four hundred forty-five bronchoalveolar lavage specimens from patients with the human immunodeficiency virus were preserved in Saccomano's f ixative and stained for Pneumocystis carinii cysts by a modified metho d with Fungi-Fluor Solution A (Polysciences, Warrington, Pa) and the G enetic Systems Pneumocystis carinii Immunofluorescence Antibody (Genet ic Systems Corp, Seattle, Wash). The majority of patients had been tre ated for suspected P carinii pneumonia for a few days prior to collect ion of bronchoalveolar lavage specimens. P carinii cysts were detected in 194 (43.6%) specimens. Both stains identified P carinii in 166 (37 .3%) specimens and were negative in 251 (56.4%), yielding a concordanc e rate of 93.7%. P carinii cysts were detected in 25 (5.6%) specimens by the Genetic Systems stain only, and in 3 (0.7%) specimens by the Fu ngi-Fluor stain only. The sensitivity for detecting cysts of P carinii was significantly greater with the Genetic Systems stain (P <.01).