Development and Validation of a Pneumocystis jirovecii Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for Diagnosis of Pneumocystis Pneumonia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pneumocystis jirovecii (PJ), a pathogenic fungus, causes severe interstitial Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) among immunocompromised patients. A laboratory-developed real-time polyermase chain reaction (PCR) assay was validated for PJ detection to improve diagnosis of PCP.