DIRECT-DETECTION OF PNEUMOCYSTIS-CARINII IN OUTDOOR AIR - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS OF A FIELD-STUDY

P. carinii causes pneumonia in immunocompromised patients. New studies are suggestive of de novo infections. Although P. carinii is believed to be ubiquitous it has not been detected directly from outdoor air. Therefore, outdoor air samples (n = 20) of 5 m(3) were collected onto gelatin filters (pore size: 3 mu m) on a cemetery using a suction pump (Sartorius MD8). Five samples were silver-stained, five samples were stained with an indirect immunfluorescence test kit, the remaining ten samples were stained with the combinations of the two individual stai ns. In a total of 100 m(3) outdoor air one cyst resembling P. carinii was detected by the methenamine silver stain. Other cells nor resembli ng P. carinii were found with a silver stained cell wall and positive fluorescence. The natural reservoir of P. carinii remains unknown. The indirect immunfluorescence which is common in the clinical laboratory is probably not specific enough for environmental samples.