Detection of Pneumocystis carinii sequences by polymerase chain reaction: animal models and clinical application to noninvasive specimens.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1992. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Detection of Pneumocystis carinii sequences by polymerase chain reaction: animal models and clinical application to noninvasive specimens.

J Clin Microbiol. 1991 Sep;29(9):1985-90. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE GENBANK/M83841
Kitada K; Oka S; Kimura S; Shimada K; Serikawa T; Yamada J; Tsunoo H; Egawa K; Nakamura Y; Department of Tumor Biology, University of Tokyo, Japan.

Abstract: Pneumocystis carinii is a eukaryotic microbe which causes fatal pneumonia in patients with AIDS. Oligonucleotide primers were used to amplify the 5S rDNA sequence of P. carinii by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in various clinical and animal samples. Of 35 independent lung specimens tested, PCR detected the P. carinii sequence in all 23 cases which were known to be P. carinii infected, i.e., 15 from mice, 1 from rat, 3 from human autopsy, and 4 from biopsy of AIDS patients by needle aspiration. The results were consistent with clinical and microscopic diagnosis. The detection was highly sensitive and specific. Direct sequencing of these amplified DNAs revealed homogeneity of 5S rDNA sequences of independent isolates from mice, rats, and humans. Preliminary trials manifested efficacy of the PCR method to detect P. carinii sequences in induced sputum or blood from AIDS patients, the latter case suggesting that P. carinii might enter peripheral blood via phagocytosis or direct intrusion. Development of less-invasive or noninvasive PCR diagnostic techniques to detect P. carinii infection would greatly facilitate therapeutic and prophylactic management of P. carinii pneumonia.

Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/COMPLICATIONS Animal Base Sequence Disease Models, Animal DNA, Fungal/GENETICS/ISOLATION & PURIF Evaluation Studies Human Mice Mice, Nude Molecular Sequence Data Opportunistic Infections/COMPLICATIONS/DIAGNOSIS/MICROBIOLOGY Pneumocystis carinii/*GENETICS/ISOLATION & PURIF Pneumonia, Pneumocystis carinii/COMPLICATIONS/DIAGNOSIS/ MICROBIOLOGY Polymerase Chain Reaction/*METHODS/STATISTICS & NUMER DATA RNA, Fungal/*GENETICS/ISOLATION & PURIF RNA, Ribosomal, 5S/GENETICS/ISOLATION & PURIF Sensitivity and Specificity Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid Species Specificity Support, Non-U.S. Gov't JOURNAL ARTICLE

920530
M9250907

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