title: Strain typing methods and molecular epidemiology of Pneumocystis pneumonia.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA. cbeard@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Charles Ben
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Beard
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roux
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nevez
authors.forename: Philippe M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.forename: Joseph A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Unnasch
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lundgren
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012331:RNA, Fungal