High prevalence of Pneumocystis jiroveci colonization among young HIV-infected patients

J Adolesc Health. 2011 Jan;48(1):103-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.05.013. Epub 2010 Aug 24.

Abstract

Background: Pneumocystis colonization in young HIV-infected patients has been poorly studied. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of P jiroveci colonization in a cohort of young HIV-infected patients.

Material and methods: We designed a basal cross-sectional study in 20 young HIV-infected patients to determine the prevalence of P jiroveci colonization in oropharyngeal wash samples studied by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Subsequently, patients were followed up during 50 weeks to observe the development of Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP).

Results: P jiroveci colonization was detected in eight (40%) of the 20 oropharyngeal wash samples. Genotype 85C/248C was the most frequent. After 50 weeks of follow-up, one colonized patient with advanced immunodepression developed PCP.

Conclusions: We have found a high prevalence of P jiroveci colonization in young HIV-infected patients with a major prevalence of genotype 1 (85C/248C). Further studies are necessary to clarify if Pneumocystis colonization could be a potential risk factor of developing PCP in young HIV infected patients.

MeSH terms

  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / epidemiology
  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Comorbidity
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Oropharynx / microbiology*
  • Pneumocystis carinii / classification
  • Pneumocystis carinii / genetics*
  • Pneumocystis carinii / isolation & purification
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / microbiology*
  • Prevalence
  • Spain / epidemiology