Rapid Diagnosis of Cytomegalovirus Pneumonia and Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia by Using Polymerase Chain Reaction DNA Amplification

We attempted to detect cytomegalvorius DNA (CMV-DNA) and Pneumocystis carinii DNA (carinii-DNA) in urine, blood and sputum samples of 16 leukemia patients with pneumonia, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Synthetic oligonucleotide primer pair were used to amplify DNA from the major immediateearly genes of CMV and genes for the large subunit of mitochondrial ribosomal RNA of P. carinii. Amplified products were detected by gel electrophoresis. In two cases, CMV-DNA was detected at about the time the pneumonia occurred, and in one of the two cases, CMV-DNA was detected in the sputum sample. This patient was treated immediately with ganciclovir. After ganciclovir treatment, clinical and biochemical signs of CMV pneumonia disappeared. In three cases, carinii-DNA was detected in their sputum samples. In their blood and urine samples, carinii-DNA were not detected. This three cases were treated with sulfamethoxazoletrimethoprim and successfully treated episodes of P. carinii pneumonia. We conclude that PCR amplification may be. valuable tool for rapid diagnosing CMV pneumonia and P. carinii pneumonia.