Test ID: ZG858
CPT code: 87798
LOINC: 89996-3
Specimen Type: Sterile container
Frequency: 3 – 8 days
Instructions: Respiratory and body fluids 1mL, Tissue 5 – 10 mm , Refrigerated. Min 0.5 ml. Keep tissue moist with saline. Specimens over 7 days old will be rejected.
Text: Preferred test for detection of Pneumocystis. Pneumocystis pneumonia is an important cause of opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients, particularly those with HIV. The causative agent, Pneumocystis jiroveci, cannot be cultured in vitro.
Methodology: Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)