Pneumocystis carinii Serologic Study in Pediatric Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Article

Williford Pifer, LL, Woods, DR, Edwards, CC et al. (1988). Pneumocystis carinii Serologic Study in Pediatric Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome . 142(1), 36-39. 10.1001/archpedi.1988.02150010046018

cited authors

  • Williford Pifer, LL; Woods, DR; Edwards, CC; Joyner, RE; Anderson, FJ; Arheart, K

authors

abstract

  • Pneumocystis carinii antigen and IgG antibody profiles were prepared on 17 pediatric patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) with pneumonia who were examined by a variety of invasive methods for P carinii organisms. Overall, the accuracy of the antigen assay in invasively examined pediatric patients with AIDS with pneumonia was 94% (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 90%), as antigen and invasive test results agreed in 16 of 17 patients. No statistically significant differences in IgG titer were observed between controls and patients invasively examined for P carinii, whether the organism was observed in the specimen or not. Since 38% of all serum samples referred were derived from “blood-borne” cases of AIDS, including patients who contracted AIDS as a result of both transfusion and hemophilia A, this suggests that P carinii pneumonia or P carinii pneumonia—like pneumonias may be more common in these individuals. © 1988, American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

publication date

  • January 1, 1988

start page

  • 36

end page

  • 39

volume

  • 142

issue

  • 1