The Prevalence of Pneumocystis jiroveci in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Specimens of Lung Transplant Recipients Examined by the Nested PCR.
BACKGROUND
The use of immune suppressive drugs for organ transplant recipients predisposes them to opportunistic infections, especially by fungal agents. Pneumocystis jiroveci, as an opportunistic pathogen, endangers the patients' life in those with immune system disorders. Early detection of latent Pneumocystis infection in susceptible patients may help choose the optimal treatment for these patients.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to identify and determine the colonization of latent P. jiroveci infection among lung transplant recipients.


METHODS
This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on lung transplant recipients. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens were collected from 32 patients undergoing bronchoscopy. The samples were aseptically homogenized by 10 mM dithiothreitol, and their DNA was extracted. The mtLSUrRNA gene of P. jiroveci was amplified using nested PCR in two stages. Nested PCR was performed using external primers of pAZ-102-E and pAZ102-H followed by using the PCR product of the first stage and internal primers of pAZ-102-E and pAZ102-L2.


RESULTS
The genome of P. jiroveci was revealed by a 346 bp PCR product in the initial amplification and a 120 bp product in the nested PCR. The results showed that seven BAL specimens (21.9%) from lung transplant recipients were positive for P. jiroveci.


CONCLUSIONS
In molecular epidemiology studies, nested PCR has higher sensitivity than PCR. Results of this study support the colonization of P. jiroveci in patients receiving lung transplantation. Patients who are carriers of P. jiroveci are at a higher risk of P. jiroveci pneumonia.
Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Morteza
M
Izadi
Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Nematollah
N
Jonaidi Jafari
Parasitology Department of Medical School, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IR Iran.
Javid
J
Sadraei
Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan,IR Iran.
Abbas
A
Mahmoodzadeh Poornaki
Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan,IR Iran.
Babak
B
Rezavand
Allergy Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
Hossein
H
Zarrinfar
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, IR Iran.
Jahangir
J
Abdi
Department of Epidemiology & Bio-statistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Younes
Y
Mohammadi
Bronchoalveolar Lavage; Lung Transplantation; Nested PCR; Pneumocystis jiroveci