MONOCLONAL IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE COMPARED WITH SILVER STAIN FOR INVESTIGATING PNEUMOCYSTIS-CARINII PNEUMONIA

Two hundred and eighty two specimens from 220 patients positive for HIV with respiratory tract symptoms, or febrile illness, or both, were examined for the presence of Pneumocystis carinii. Specimens were either induced sputum samples or bronchoalveolar lavage fluids. To establish the optimal method for laboratory diagnosis a comparison was made of detection of the organism by use of monoclonal antibody and immunofluorescence with conventional silver staining methods. Three commercially available reagents for immunofluorescence were also compared. Immunofluorescence was significantly more sensitive than the silver stain and the best results for immunofluorescence were obtained using Northumbria Biologicals Ltd reagents.