DIAGNOSIS OF PNEUMOCYSTIS-CARINII PNEUMON IA - EVALUATION AND INTEREST OF A NEW DIRECT FLUORESCENT MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY STAIN

Opportunist disease in immunocompromised patients and prematured babie s, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was rare. It represents today inaugu ral manifestation of SIDA in 35-40 % of cases. The research of the par asite becomes a current analysis for a medical laboratory, Biological diagnosis is based on the show of the parasit in the sampling with cla ssical coloration technics. The limits of these colorations have playe d a great part in the development of fluorescent monoclonal antibody s tains. In this evaluation, we compared, on 100 bronchiolo-alveolar-lav age (BAL), the performances of a new direct fluorescent monoclonal ant ibody stain recently commercialized (Pneumo Cel IF test(R) B.M.D. Labo ratories) with those of two classical colorations: May-Grunwald-Giemsa and Gomori-Grocott. Standard colorations revealed 18 positive cases w hile direct immunofluorescence technic revealed 20 cases of pneumocyst osis. This new test has showed reliability, sensitivity and high speci ficity due to the utilisation of a monoclonal antibody. The preparatio n and the reading of the slides are rapid and easy. In spite of a very higher price, direct immunofluorescent should become a choice method for the majority of medical analysis laboratories, by reason of its qu alities and the many advantages it offers in comparison with classical colorations.