Major surface glycoprotein (Msg), the most abundant cell surface protein of Pneumocystis, plays an important role in the interaction of this opportunistic pathogen with host cells, and its potential for antigenic variation may facilitate evasion of host immune responses. In the present study, we have identified and characterized the promoter region of msg in 3 species of Pneumocystis: P. carini...

We present a case of Pneumocystis pneumonia (diagnosis was based on imaging X-ray and CAT examinations, real-time PCR) in an HIV-infected patient with relapse four months later long lasting colonization as detected by the positive PCR results lack clinical symptoms during follow up after second course treatment trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. The wild-type P. jirovecii DHPS genotype identified a...

The possible presence of Pneumocystis among healthy adults was examined by detecting Pneumocystis jirovecii-specific DNA in prospectively obtained oropharyngeal wash samples from 50 persons without underlying lung disease or immunosuppression. Pneumocystis carriage, defined by detecting Pneumocystis DNA by nested polymerase chain reaction in 2 independent analyses plus successful mitochondrial ...

In this issue of the journal, Choukri et al [1] state that their study provides the first quantitative data on the spread of Pneumocystis jirovecii in exhaled air from infected patients. There are additional data in prior studies using air samples collected in rooms of patients diagnosed as having P. jirovecii showing that not only could the organisms be detected but also their types correlated...

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii is one of the most common opportunistic infections in immunosuppressed patients, particularly in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). (1 → 3)-β-D-glucan is a component of the cell wall of P. jirovecii and other fungi such as Candida sp., Aspergillus sp. and Histoplasma sp. The measurement of serum (1 → 3)-β-D-gluc...

Pneumocystis jirovecii is a major threat for immunocompromised patients, and clusters of pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) have been increasingly described in transplant units during the past decade. Exploring an outbreak transmission network requires complementary spatiotemporal and strain-typing approaches. We analyzed a PCP outbreak and demonstrated the added value of next-generation sequencing (...

A high rate of Pneumocystis jirovecii colonization was observed in Brazilian cystic fibrosis (CF) patients (13 out of 34; 38.2%) who underwent bronchoscopy between March 2006 and August 2009 at the Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil. Bronchoalveolar lavage samples were collected from these patients and studied by nested PCR amplification of the mitochondrial gene coding for the large ...

In both the post and pre combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) era, Pneumocystis jirovecii and Toxoplasma gondii remain common opportunistic infectious agents. The common manifestations are pneumonia for P. jirovecii and brain abscess for T. gondii. Nevertheless, co-infection remains rare, and pulmonary toxoplasmosis is scarce, or may be underestimated because of its similarity with Pneumoc...

OBJECTIVE Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP), the commonest opportunistic infection in HIV-infected patients in the developed world, is less commonly described in tropical and low and middle income countries (LMIC). We sought to investigate predictors of PCP in these settings. DESIGN Systematic review and meta-regression. METHODS Meta-regression of predictors of PCP diagnosis (33 studie...

OBJECTIVE To assess the predisposing immunocompromised states, administration of pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia prophylaxis, the disease course and outcomes of patients with pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia. METHODS The retrospective study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi. The medical records of patients diagnosed with pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia from Januar...