Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 29, 2026

A Method to Study the C924T Polymorphism of the Thromboxane A2 Receptor Gene
07:00

A Method to Study the C924T Polymorphism of the Thromboxane A2 Receptor Gene

Published on: April 1, 2019

10.4K

Genetic polymorphisms associated with treatment failure and mortality in pediatric Pneumocystosis

Yogita Singh1, Bijay Ranjan Mirdha2, Randeep Guleria3

  • 1All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, New Delhi, 110029, India.

Scientific Reports
|February 6, 2019
PubMed

Insights

New data reveals specific Pneumocystis jirovecii genotypes in Indian children are linked to severe Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), treatment failure, and high mortality, highlighting the need for genotype-focused research.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pediatric Pulmonology

Background:

  • Limited data exists on Pneumocystis jirovecii genetic diversity in children, especially from the Indian subcontinent.
  • Understanding genotype-clinical characteristic associations is crucial for managing Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the genetic diversity of Pneumocystis jirovecii in pediatric PCP cases from the Indian subcontinent.
  • To determine associations between Pneumocystis jirovecii genotypes and clinical outcomes, including severity and treatment response.

Main Methods:

  • Genotyping of Pneumocystis jirovecii using mitochondrial large subunit ribosomal RNA (mtLSUrRNA), dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS), and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) genes.
  • Diagnosis of Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) via microscopy and nested PCR.
  • Phylogenetic analysis to identify sequence types (STs) and their clinical correlations.

Main Results:

  • mtLSUrRNA genotype 3 and novel mutations in DHFR (401T>C) and DHPS (96/98) were frequently observed.
  • Specific sequence types (STs), including 3-DHFR 401T>C-DHPS 96/98 - PJ1 and 3-DHFR 401T>C-DHPS 96 - PJ3, were significantly associated with treatment failure and high mortality.
  • The study identified 13 unique sequence types among the 37 pediatric cases.

Conclusions:

  • The findings suggest the emergence of virulent Pneumocystis jirovecii strains or genetic polymorphisms contributing to treatment failure and mortality in pediatric PCP.
  • This study is the first from the Indian subcontinent to report on the genetic diversity of Pneumocystis jirovecii in children and its clinical impact.
  • Further research focusing on Pneumocystis jirovecii genotypes is essential for understanding PCP epidemiology and improving patient outcomes.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Understanding the Effect of Herbal-Cake-Separated Moxibustion in Rats with Renal Faliure06:46

Author Spotlight: Understanding the Effect of Herbal-Cake-Separated Moxibustion in Rats with Renal Faliure

Published on: December 22, 2023

1.1K
Author Spotlight: Simulating Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Using a Neonatal Piglet Model04:55

Author Spotlight: Simulating Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Using a Neonatal Piglet Model

Published on: May 26, 2023

1.4K

Related Concept Videos

Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Oxygen Therapy for Respiratory Failure01:16

Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Oxygen Therapy for Respiratory Failure

Oxygen therapy has emerged as a significant tool in enhancing the quality of life for patients suffering from pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). While this therapy has principally been studied on patients with significant hypoxemia, this therapeutic approach helps prevent potential organ damage and can be administered in the comfort of one's home.
Oxygen therapy is vital in increasing and maintaining blood oxygen levels in PAH patients. As a result, it aids in reducing fatigue,...
615
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs01:05

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs

A single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP is a single nucleotide variation at a specific genomic position in a large population. It is the most prevalent type of sequence variation found in the human genome. Point mutations that occur in more than 1% of the population qualify as SNPs. These are present once every 1000 nucleotides on an average in the human genome. Replacement of a purine with another purine (A/G) or a pyrimidine with another pyrimidine (C/T) is known as a transition. In contrast,...
18.3K
Genetics of Speciation02:16

Genetics of Speciation

Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.
21.0K
What is Population Genetics?01:25

What is Population Genetics?

A population is composed of members of the same species that simultaneously live and interact in the same area. When individuals in a population breed, they pass down their genes to their offspring. Many of these genes are polymorphic, meaning that they occur in multiple variants. Such variations of a gene are referred to as alleles. The collective set of all the alleles within a population is known as the gene pool.
64.7K
What is Genetic Engineering?00:49

What is Genetic Engineering?

Overview
80.1K
Factors Affecting Dissolution: Polymorphism, Amorphism and Pseudopolymorphism01:21

Factors Affecting Dissolution: Polymorphism, Amorphism and Pseudopolymorphism

Polymorphism refers to the existence of a drug substance in multiple crystalline forms, known as polymorphs. Recently, this term has been expanded to include solvates (forms containing a solvent), amorphous forms (non-crystalline forms), and desolvated solvates (forms from which the solvent has been removed).
Some polymorphic crystals possess lower aqueous solubility than their amorphous counterparts, leading to incomplete absorption. For instance, the oral suspension of Chloramphenicol, which...
714