Prevalence of colonization and mitochondrial large subunit rRNA mutation ofPneumocystis jiroveciamong Iranian children.
OBJECTIVE
Pneumocystis jiroveciis an important causative agent ofPneumocystispneumonia. During childhood, exposure toPneumocystisoccurs and antibody was built in early childhood. The aim of this study was to describe the molecular epidemiology ofP. jiroveciin children without any respiratory syndrome and survey the distribution of different mitochondrial large subunit, ribosomal ribonucleic acid (mtLSU- rRNA) genotypes.


METHODS
Mini-bronchoalveolar lavage (mini-BAL) fluids from pediatric patients with no history of lung disorders were obtained during a 14-month period.P. jirovecicolonization was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining, nested PCR and sequencing. Genotypic characterization at the mitochondrial large subunit rRNA gene was performed by direct sequencing.


RESULTS
Of 172 BAL specimens from patients, with mean age of 4.9 years, the prevalence ofP. jirovecicolonization was 3.5% (6 samples). The results of sequencing revealed the two polymorphisms; 85/A; 248/C in 3 cases, and 85/T; 248/C in other cases. One sample also showed a mutation replacement at position 258 (T-to-C change), which was not reported previously.


CONCLUSIONS
Colonized person as an environmental reservoir might play an important role in the progression of infection in immunocompromised patients. Diagnosis of the reservoir and genotyping can be essential for the prevention of nosocomial infections.
Professor Alborzi Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Parisa
P
Badiee
Professor Alborzi Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Ali
A
Rezapour
Professor Alborzi Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Amin
A
Abbasian
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Hamid Reza
HR
Foroutan
Professor Alborzi Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Hadis
H
Jafarian
Genotypic; PCR; Pediatrics; Pneumocystis jiroveci