A blood test may make it easier for doctors to diagnose Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in people with compromised immune systems, according to a small, informal study conducted in Boston and published in the July 3 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.
A test called Fungitell was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2004 and can be used to detect harmful levels of fungi in the body. Francisco Marty, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and his colleagues reported recently that the test helped to diagnose Pneumocystis jiroveci infection—the cause of PCP—in 16 immune-compromised patients, two of whom were HIV positive.
The authors stress that additional testing is needed to confirm Fungitell's effectiveness for diagnosing PCP in people with AIDS, especially with so many other fungi capable of causing respiratory problems.
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