inPractice® - Diagnosis

Definitive diagnosis of Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is usually achieved by demonstrating the presence of Pneumocystis organisms (Figure 2)
Microscopic techniques (colorimetric or immunofluorescent) are the standard methods of PCP detection
Polymerase chain reaction–based methods performed on lower respiratory tract specimens and in noninvasive oral washes, and measurement of plasma S-adenosylmethionine, are also available^{[Alvarez-Martínez 2006; Larsen 2004; Chawla 2011; Oren 2011]}