XII - PCR FOR DETECTING PNEUMOCYSTIS-CARINII IN CLINICAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL-SAMPLES

Since Pneumocystis carinii cannot be cultured in vitro, the introducti on of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been an enormous advantage f or research purposes. It is now possible to detect P. carinii in speci mens containing low numbers of organisms where conventional detection methods using microscopic examination of histochemical stains has been insufficient. PCR has been used to detect P. carinii in bronchoalveol ar lavage, induced sputum, spontaneous expectorates, oropharyngeal gar gles, nasopharyngeal aspirates, serum, blood and in environmental samp les. The use of PCR will enable the study of the epidemiology of P. ca rinii infection by detecting the organism in environmental samples, pe rmitting molecular typing and thereby the study of the transmission of the organism. Furthermore PCR will facilitate studies on the response to therapy, studies monitoring for the emergence of drug resistant st rains of P. carinii, and in the diagnosis of P. carinii pneumonia in n oninvasive specimens, in patients unable to undergo more invasive diag nostic procedures. (C) 1998 Federation of European Microbiological Soc ieties. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.