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Genetic diversity of Pneumocystis jirovecii in Thailand

Saovanee Leelayoova1, Suradej Siripattanapipong, Peerapan Tan-Ariya

  • 1Department of Parasitology, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand.

Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet Thangphaet
|July 25, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PcP) is a common infection in HIV patients. Molecular analysis reveals diverse Pneumocystis jirovecii types in Thailand, with unique strains like Ir and Rp, offering insights into fungal evolution.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Pneumocystis jirovecii causes Pneumocystis pneumonia (PcP), a frequent opportunistic infection in HIV-positive individuals.
  • Molecular techniques analyzing ribosomal RNA gene regions (ITS1 and ITS2) reveal genetic diversity among P. jirovecii isolates.
  • Geographical variations in P. jirovecii types have been observed globally.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the genetic diversity of Pneumocystis jirovecii in Thailand.
  • To identify prevalent and unique P. jirovecii types within the Thai population.
  • To explore the potential of P. jirovecii types as genetic markers for evolutionary studies.

Main Methods:

  • DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal RNA genes.
  • Analysis of genetic variation to identify different P. jirovecii types.
  • Comparison of P. jirovecii type distribution across different geographical areas and populations.

Main Results:

  • A high diversity of P. jirovecii ITS types was confirmed in Thailand.
  • Twenty-three distinct P. jirovecii types were identified, with types Ir (28.6%), Eb (21.4%), Eg, and Rp (14.3%) being the most frequent.
  • Types Ir and Rp were unique to Thailand, and mixed infections were common (25-82%).

Conclusions:

  • P. jirovecii exhibits significant genetic diversity in Thailand, with distinct prevalent and unique types.
  • The identification of unique types like Ir and Rp in Thailand provides valuable genetic markers.
  • These genetic markers can be utilized to study the evolutionary dynamics of P. jirovecii in specific geographical regions.

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