Rozaliyani A, Antariksa B, Sutoyo DK, Wahyuningsih R. J Respir Indones. 2011;31(3):150-5.
Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is an important opportunistic infection in HIV-infected patients and other immune system disorders. Diagnosis of PCP remains a challenge because the clinical symptoms, routine laboratory and radiological examinations are not typical. The proven diagnosis must be performed by finding P. jirovecii in histopathologic preparations with conventional or immunocytochemical stained that require special clinical specimens, high laboratory skills and time consumed. The development of molecular biology using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method allows diagnosis of PCP from more easily obtained specimes, but can not distinguish the circumstances of commensal with pathogens. Development of real-time PCR allows the quantitative examination to distinguish that circumstances in less time.