Evaluation of the automated Becton Dickinson MAX real-time PCR platform for detection of Pneumocystis jirovecii.

AIM: We evaluated the performance of the automated quantitative BD MAX (Becton Dickinson) real-time PCR platform for detecting Pneumocystis jirovecii.

MATERIALS & METHODS: A total of 34 retrospective and 137 prospective samples were included.

RESULTS: Retrospectively, all (100%) positive samples were correctly detected by this platform compared with a nested PCR. Among prospective samples, the overall sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio were 92.6%, 94.5%, 17.0 and 0.1, respectively. All bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF)/bronchial washing samples were correctly identified by this platform. Samples from patients with colonization had significantly higher median amplification cycle threshold values than patients with P. jirovecii pneumonia.

CONCLUSION: The quantitative BD MAX real-time PCR is a rapid and highly sensitive modality for detecting P. jirovecii, especially in samples from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid/bronchial washing fluid.