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Updated: Jul 25, 2025
Capsular Serotyping of Streptococcus pneumoniae by Latex Agglutination
Published on: September 25, 2014
Novel Pneumocystis Antigens for Seroprevalence Studies
Dora Pungan1, Jia Fan2, Guixiang Dai1
1John W Deming Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Translational Research in Infection and Inflammation, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
Abstract:
Pneumocystis jirovecii is the most common cause of fungal pneumonia in children under the age of 2 years. However, the inability to culture and propagate this organism has hampered the acquisition of a fungal genome as well as the development of recombinant antigens to conduct seroprevalence studies. In this study, we performed proteomics on Pneumocystis-infected mice and used the recent P. murina and P. jirovecii genomes to prioritize antigens for recombinant protein expression. We focused on a fungal glucanase due to its conservation among fungal species. We found evidence of maternal IgG to this antigen, followed by a nadir in pediatric samples between 1 and 3 months of age, followed by an increase in prevalence over time consistent with the known epidemiology of Pneumocystis exposure. Moreover, there was a strong concordance of anti-glucanase responses and IgG against another Pneumocystis antigen, PNEG_01454. Taken together, these antigens may be useful tools for Pneumocystis seroprevalence and seroconversion studies.
Insights
Researchers identified key fungal antigens for studying Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in children. Maternal antibodies were detected, followed by a decrease and then increase in prevalence, aligning with typical Pneumocystis exposure patterns.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Immunology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Pneumocystis jirovecii causes significant fungal pneumonia in young children.
- Challenges in culturing P. jirovecii hinder genomic and antigen development for seroprevalence studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and prioritize antigens for recombinant protein expression.
- To develop tools for seroprevalence and seroconversion studies of Pneumocystis infections.
Main Methods:
- Proteomics analysis of Pneumocystis-infected mice.
- Utilizing P. murina and P. jirovecii genomes for antigen selection.
- Focusing on a conserved fungal glucanase and PNEG_01454 antigen.
Main Results:
- Detected maternal IgG against the fungal glucanase.
- Observed a nadir in pediatric samples (1-3 months) followed by increasing prevalence.
- Found strong concordance between anti-glucanase and anti-PNEG_01454 IgG responses.
Conclusions:
- The identified glucanase and PNEG_01454 antigens show potential for Pneumocystis serological studies.
- These antigens may aid in understanding Pneumocystis exposure and infection dynamics in children.
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