[Pneumocystis carinii is still a dangerous opportunist. The infection is continuously a threat to immunocompromised patients]. / Pneumocystis carinii fortfarande en svår opportunist. Infektionen ett ständigt hot mot immundefekta patienter.
Lakartidningen
; 96(4): 328-31, 1999 Jan 27.
Article
em Sv
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-10024821
ABSTRACT
Despite recent decrease in the incidence of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) among patients infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), PCP remains a threat to other categories of immunocompromised patients. The article provides an outline of recent, mainly molecular genetic, findings in P. carinii research, including its new classification as a primitive fungus, host specificity and verified de novo infection in HIV-infected subjects. As the pathogen still defies propagation in vitro, laboratory diagnosis is dependent on microscopic demonstration of the organism. Diagnostic specificity can be enhanced by generating specific PCR (polymerase chain reaction) products which can be sequenced for genotyping. Findings in animal studies and epidemiological observations (e.g., in outbreaks of PCP among immunocompromised hospital patients), suggest transmission of PCP infection to be airborne. Genetic methods have been used to study the mode of P. carinii transmission. Nucleic acids of the human form of P. carinii (P. carinii f. sp. hominis) have been detected in the air of hospital wards, indicating susceptible patients to be at risk. By contrast, findings obtained with the same methods in studies of person-to-person transmission of P. carinii among clustered cases of PCP in hospitals suggest infection to be environmentally acquired. Thus, many questions remain to be answered regarding the occurrence and transmission of P. carinii infection.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Contexto em Saúde:
4_TD
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Pneumonia por Pneumocystis
/
Hospedeiro Imunocomprometido
/
Infecções Oportunistas Relacionadas com a AIDS
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
Sv
Revista:
Lakartidningen
Ano de publicação:
1999
Tipo de documento:
Article