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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, June 2003, p. 2709-2712, Vol. 41, No. 6
0095-1137/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.41.6.2709-2712.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Detection of Pneumocystis carinii and Characterization of Mutations Associated with Sulfa Resistance in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Samples from Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Subjects

Infectious Diseases Division,¹ Clinical Molecular Biology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy²

Received 18 November 2002/ Returned for modification 3 February 2003/ Accepted 21 March 2003

One hundred ninety-four bronchoalveolar specimens were evaluated by microscopic examination and by amplification of a sequence of a Pneumocystis carinii dihidropteroate synthase gene for identification of mutations linked to sulfa resistance. PCR sensitivity and specificity were 100 and 86.7%, respectively, compared to results of microscopic examination. However, 7 out of 19 microscopy-negative, PCR-positive samples were collected from subjects with a clinically high probability of P. carinii pneumonia, suggesting that PCR may be more sensitive than microscopic examination, although the absolute performance of PCR cannot be determined. Mutations were identified in 28 out of 70 (40%) PCR-positive specimens and were significantly more common in patients exposed to sulfa drugs (21 out of 29 [72.4%]) than in those not exposed to sulfa drugs (4 out of 35 [11.4%]).

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