Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for <i>Pneumocystis jirovecii</i> detection in lower respiratory tract samples.

ABSTRACT: To date, the gold standard for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PjP) diagnosis is direct microscopic examination (ME). However, several studies have shown that the DNA copy number of the P. jirovecii, measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), is significantly higher in patients with PjP than in colonized individuals. Nevertheless, this approach is not standardized yet and requires further investigation. In this study, we aimed to compare the results obtained using the Pneumocystis ELITe MGB Kit (ELITech Group S.p.a., Italy) with those from ME, evaluating specificity, sensitivity, and the ability to distinguish infection from colonization through the identification of a cut-off value. A total of 163 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) or sputum samples, collected and tested wit

SUBMITTER: Giardina FAM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12671181 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature