Diagnostic use of PCR for detection of Pneumocystis carinii in oral wash samples. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1998. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Diagnostic use of PCR for detection of Pneumocystis carinii in oral wash samples.

Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/98312984
Helweg-Larsen J; Jensen JS; Benfield T; Svendsen UG; Lundgren JD; Lundgren B

Abstract: There is a need to develop noninvasive methods for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients unable to undergo bronchoscopy or induction sputum. Oral wash specimens are easily obtained, and P. carinii nucleic acid can be amplified and demonstrated by PCR. In routine clinical use, easy sample processing and single-round PCR are needed to ensure rapid analysis and to reduce the risk of contamination. We developed a single-round Touchdown PCR (TD-PCR) protocol with the ability to detect PCR inhibition in the specimen. The TD-PCR was evaluated in a routine diagnostic laboratory and was compared to a previously described PCR protocol (mitochondrial RNA) run in a research laboratory. Both PCR methods amplified a sequence of the mitochondrial rRNA gene of P. carinii. Paired bronchoalveolar
981230
M98C7297

Copyright © 1998 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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