Strain typing methods and molecular epidemiology of Pneumocystis pneumonia.
Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) caused by the opportunistic fungal agent Pneumocystis jirovecii (formerly P. carinii) continues to cause illness and death in HIV-infected patients. In the absence of a culture system to isolate and maintain live organisms, efforts to type and characterize the organism have relied on polymerase chain reaction-based approaches. Studies using these methods have improved understanding of PCP epidemiology, shedding light on sources of infection, transmission patterns, and potential emergence of antimicrobial resistance. One concern, however, is the lack of guidance regarding the appropriateness of different methods and standardization of these methods, which would facilitate comparing results reported by different laboratories.
Beard
Charles Ben
CB
Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA. cbeard@cdc.gov
Roux
Patricia
P
Nevez
Gilles
G
Hauser
Philippe M
PM
Kovacs
Joseph A
JA
Unnasch
Thomas R
TR
Lundgren
Bettina
B
D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D045363:Pneumocystis carinii / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D004271:DNA, Fungal; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012331:RNA, Fungal