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High prevalence of Pneumocystis jiroveci colonization among young HIV-infected patients

Sonia Gutiérrez1, Rubén Morilla, Juan A León

  • 1Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospitales Universitarios Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology Seville, Spain. anisoguri@hotmail.com

The Journal of Adolescent Health : Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine
|December 28, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Pneumocystis jiroveci colonization is common in young HIV-infected patients. Further research is needed to determine if this colonization is a risk factor for developing Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP).

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Pneumocystis colonization prevalence in pediatric HIV is understudied.
  • HIV infection impacts immune function, increasing susceptibility to opportunistic infections.
  • Pneumocystis jiroveci is an opportunistic pathogen causing Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of Pneumocystis jiroveci colonization in young HIV-infected patients.
  • To identify common Pneumocystis jiroveci genotypes in this population.
  • To assess the association between colonization and subsequent PCP development.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study of 20 young HIV-infected patients.
  • Oropharyngeal wash samples analyzed using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  • Patients followed for 50 weeks to monitor for PCP development.

Main Results:

  • Pneumocystis jiroveci colonization detected in 40% (8/20) of samples.
  • Genotype 85C/248C (genotype 1) was the most prevalent.
  • One colonized patient with advanced immunodepression developed PCP within 50 weeks.

Conclusions:

  • High prevalence of Pneumocystis jiroveci colonization observed in young HIV-infected patients.
  • Genotype 1 (85C/248C) is the predominant genotype in this cohort.
  • Further investigation is warranted to establish colonization as a risk factor for PCP in this population.
Abstract

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