Separation of Pneumocystis carinii from the lung of the steroid-suppressed rat

Pneumocystis corinii pneumonia was induced in rats by chronic corticosteriod immunosuppression. The parasite was separated from virtually all contaminating host cells using the technique of unit gravity sedimentation. Cellular contamination was routinely below 0.02%. The same technique allowed partial separation of the cyst from the trophozoite stage.