title: Absence of Pneumocystis jirovecii Colonization in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Individuals With and Without Airway Obstruction and With Undetectable Viral Load.
abstract: Pneumocystis jirovecii colonization has been associated with non-acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) pulmonary comorbidity. We used spirometry to measure pulmonary function and analyzed oral wash specimens by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), targeting the large mitochondrial ribosomal subunit. For sensitivity control, a blinded subsample was subjected to touch-down PCRs, targeting both large and small ribosomal subunits and the major surface glycoprotein. Pneumocystis jirovecii deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was detected in 1 of 156 (95% confidence interval, .1%-3.5%) virologically suppressed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals confirmed by all PCR methods. Thus, prevalence of P jirovecii colonization was low and unlikely to be a major cause of pulmonary comorbidity in this group of well treated HIV-infected individuals.
authors.affiliation: Viro-immunology Research Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ronit
authors.affiliation: Viro-immunology Research Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital.
authors.forename: Ditte Marie
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Klitbo
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Clinical Microbiology KMA, Copenhagen University Hospital.
authors.forename: Anna Overgaard
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Kildemoes
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital , Hvidovre , Denmark.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Benfield
authors.affiliation: Viro-immunology Research Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerstoft
authors.affiliation: Centre for Respiratory Medicine and Allergy , University Hospital South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust and The University of Manchester , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jørgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vestbo
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infection Control , Statens Serum Institut , Copenhagen.
authors.forename: Jørgen Skov
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Microbiology , University of Copenhagen , Denmark.
authors.forename: Jørgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kurtzhals
authors.affiliation: Viro-immunology Research Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases , Copenhagen University Hospital.
authors.forename: Susanne Dam
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Nielsen
keywords: HIV-1; Pneumocystis; airway obstruction; colonization