Vertical Transmission of<i>Pneumocystis jirovecii</i>in Humans

Montes-Cano, Marco Antonio; Chabé, Magali; Fontillon‐Alberdi, Maria; de-Lahorra, Carmen; Respaldiza, Nieves; Medrano, Francisco J.; Varela, J.M.; Dei‐Cas, Eduardo; Calderón, E.

doi:10.3201/eid1501.080242

Cited by 38 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…It is known that they can be transmitted by aerial route (16,32,45,85) and likely by transplacental route, at least in some mammal species (15,29,63,79). The unavailability of continuous in vitro culture systems has hindered research aiming at clarifying the role of each life cycle stage in Pneumocystis proliferation and transmission (44).…”

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Characterizing Pneumocystis in the Lungs of Bats: Understanding Pneumocystis Evolution and the Spread of Pneumocystis Organisms in Mammal Populations

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Aliouat-Denis

et al. 2012

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Bats belong to a wide variety of species and occupy diversified habitats, from cities to the countryside. Their different diets (i.e., nectarivore, frugivore, insectivore, hematophage) lead Chiroptera to colonize a range of ecological niches. These flying mammals exert an undisputable impact on both ecosystems and circulation of pathogens that they harbor. Pneumocystis species are recognized as major opportunistic fungal pathogens which cause life-threatening pneumonia in severely immunocompromised or weakened mammals. Pneumocystis consists of a heterogeneous group of highly adapted host-specific fungal parasites that colonize a wide range of mammalian hosts. In the present study, 216 lungs of 19 bat species, sampled from diverse biotopes in the New and Old Worlds, were examined. Each bat species may be harboring a specific Pneumocystis species. We report 32.9% of Pneumocystis carriage in wild bats (41.9% in Microchiroptera). Ecological and behavioral factors (elevation, crowding, migration) seemed to influence the Pneumocystis carriage. This study suggests that Pneumocystis-host association may yield much information on Pneumocystis transmission, phylogeny, and biology in mammals. Moreover, the link between genetic variability of Pneumocystis isolated from populations of the same bat species and their geographic area could be exploited in terms of phylogeography.

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Characterizing Pneumocystis in the Lungs of Bats: Understanding Pneumocystis Evolution and the Spread of Pneumocystis Organisms in Mammal Populations

Akbar

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Aliouat-Denis

et al. 2012

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…The role of healthy carriers in airborne disease transmission is nowadays recognized as a major contribution to Pneumocystis circulation (Chabé et al , 2004). Recent data indicate that the transplacental route is another human‐to‐human mode of transmission (Montes‐Cano et al , 2009). Finally, the low parasite burden usually found in Pneumocystis carriers could be the cause of benign respiratory symptoms in healthy small children (Stagno et al , 1980; Totet et al , 2004; Larsen et al , 2007) or worsening of the symptoms in COPD patients (Calderon et al , 2007).…”

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confidence: 99%

Pneumocystis: from a doubtful unique entity to a group of highly diversified fungal species

Chabé

Aliouat-Denis

Delhaès

et al. 2010

FEMS Yeast Research

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At the end of the 20th century the unique taxonomically enigmatic entity called Pneumocystis carinii was identified as a heterogeneous group of microscopic Fungi, constituted of multiple stenoxenic biological entities largely spread across ecosystems, closely adapted to, and coevolving in parallel with, mammal species. The discoveries and reasoning that led to the current conceptions about the taxonomy of Pneumocystis at the species level are examined here. The present review also focuses on the biological, morphological and phylogenetical features of Pneumocystis jirovecii, Pneumocystis oryctolagi, Pneumocystis murina, P. carinii and Pneumocystis wakefieldiae, the five Pneumocystis species described until now, mainly on the basis of the phylogenetic species concept. Interestingly, Pneumocystis organisms exhibit a successful adaptation enabling them to dwell and replicate in the lungs of both immunocompromised and healthy mammals, which can act as infection reservoirs. The role of healthy carriers in aerial disease transmission is nowadays recognized as a major contribution to Pneumocystis circulation, and Pneumocystis infection of nonimmunosuppressed hosts has emerged as a public health issue. More studies need to be undertaken both on the clinical consequences of the presence of Pneumocystis in healthy carriers and on the intricate Pneumocystis life cycle to better define its epidemiology, to adapt existing therapies to each clinical context and to discover new drug targets.

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“…Pneumocystis organisms are transmitted via the air from infected individuals to new hosts , including between individuals within hospitals (de Boer et al, 2011), but also possibly via the transplacental route Montes-Cano et al, 2009). The current hypothesis is that infections occur over short distance among infected and susceptible individuals .…”

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Genomics and evolution of Pneumocystis species

Cissé

Hauser

2018

Infection, Genetics and Evolution

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The genus Pneumocystis comprises highly diversified fungal species that cause severe pneumonia in individuals with a deficient immune system. These fungi infect exclusively mammals and present a strict host species specificity. These species have co-diverged with their hosts for long periods of time (> 100 MYA). Details of their biology and evolution are fragmentary mainly because of a lack of an established long-term culture system. Recent genomic advances have unlocked new areas of research and allow new hypotheses to be tested. We review here new findings of the genomic studies in relation with the evolutionary trajectory of these fungi and discuss the impact of genomic data analysis in the context of the population genetics. The combination of slow genome decay and limited expansion of specific gene families and introns reflect intimate interactions of these species with their hosts. The evolutionary adaptation of these organisms is profoundly influenced by their population structure, which in turn is determined by intrinsic features such as their self-fertilizing mating system, high host specificity, long generation times, and transmission mode. Essential key questions concerning their adaptation and speciation remain to be answered. The next cornerstone will consist in the establishment of a long-term culture system and genetic manipulation that should allow unravelling the driving forces of Pneumocystis species evolution.

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Vertical Transmission ofPneumocystis jiroveciiin Humans

Cited by 38 publications

References 9 publications

Characterizing Pneumocystis in the Lungs of Bats: Understanding Pneumocystis Evolution and the Spread of Pneumocystis Organisms in Mammal Populations

Characterizing Pneumocystis in the Lungs of Bats: Understanding Pneumocystis Evolution and the Spread of Pneumocystis Organisms in Mammal Populations

Pneumocystis: from a doubtful unique entity to a group of highly diversified fungal species

Genomics and evolution of Pneumocystis species

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