title: Antibody responses against Pneumocystis jirovecii in health care workers over time.
abstract: In a previous cross-sectional study, we showed that clinical staff working in a hospital had significantly higher antibody levels than nonclinical staff to Pneumocystis jirovecii. We conducted a longitudinal study, described here, to determine whether occupation and self-reported exposure to a patient with P. jirovecii pneumonia were associated with antibody levels to P. jirovecii over time. Baseline and quarterly serum specimens were collected and analyzed by using an ELISA that targeted different variants of the Pneumocystis major surface glycoprotein (MsgA, MsgB, MsgC1, MsgC3, MsgC8, and MsgC9). Clinical staff had significantly higher estimated geometric mean antibody levels against MsgC1 and MsgC8 than did nonclinical staff over time. Significant differences were observed when we compared the change in antibody levels to the different MsgC variants for staff who were and were not exposed to P. jirovecii pneumonia-infected patients. MsgC variants may serve as indicators of exposure to P. jirovecii in immunocompetent persons.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Kieran R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: Renuka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tipirneni
authors.forename: Leah G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Jarlsberg
authors.forename: Kpandja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Djawe
authors.forename: Judy V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Swartzman
authors.forename: Brenna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Walzer
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D045363:Pneumocystis carinii / Q000276:immunology*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D057566:Self Report; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins
keywords: HIV; HIV/AIDS and other retroviruses; Pneumocystis jirovecii; fungi; health care worker–patient; human immunodeficiency virus; major surface glycoprotein; pneumonia; respiratory diseases; transmission
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