Identification of Pneumocystis carinii in induced sputum of AIDS patients in Chennai (Madras).

Induced sputum samples were collected from 32 AIDS patients with respiratory ailments. Pneumcystis carinii was demonstrated in 9 out of 32 AIDS cases by Indirect Immunofluorescence technique (HF). Four cases were positive by all the three techniques namely Giemsa staining, Toluidine blue staining and IIF, three were positive by both toluidine blue and IIF, and two were positive only by IIF. Among other microbial pathogens, acid fast bacilli was demonstrated in all the P carinii positive cases and Candida albicans in 53% AIDS cases from the induced sputum sample.