Prevalence of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (2010-2013): the first Croatian report

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Andrea Babić-Erceg
• Author: Tatjana Vilibić-Čavlek
• Author: Marijan Erceg
• Author: Emilija Mlinarić-Missoni
• Author: Josip Begovac
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences

Abstract (english)

Pneumocystis jirovecii is an important cause of interstitial pneumonia particularly among immunocompromised hosts. We analysed the prevalence of P. jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients presented with interstitial pneumonia or acute respiratory syndrome hospitalized in six Croatian tertiary care hospitals. Over four-year period (2010-2013), a total of 328 lower respiratory tract samples: 253 (77.1%) bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, 43 (13.1%) tracheal aspirates and 32 (9.8%) bronchial aspirates from 290 patients were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCP was detected in 23 (7.9%) patients. The prevalence of PCP differed significantly among tested groups (χ2 = 95.03; d.f. = 3; p < 0.001). HIV-infected patients were more often positive (56.6%, 95%CI = 37.3-72.4) compared to other groups (patients with malignant disease 7.7%, 95%CI = 2.6-20.3; transplant patients 7.7%, 95%CI = 2.2-24.1; patients with other diagnosis 1.5%, 95%CI = 0.5-4.4). Majority of HIV-positive patients (80%) were newly diagnosed cases. Our results indicate that HIV-infected patients still represents the main risk group for P. jirovecii infection. PCP is responsible for pneumonia in 56.6% HIV-positive patients in Croatia, primarily those who do not know that they are HIV infected.

• Keywords (english): Adult; Aged; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/microbiology; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/virology; Child, Preschool; Comorbidity; Croatia/epidemiology; Female; HIV Infections/epidemiology; HIV Infections/immunology; HIV Infections/microbiology; HIV Infections/virology; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumocystis jirovecii/immunology; Pneumocystis jirovecii/isolation & purification; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis/epidemiology; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis/immunology; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis/microbiology; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis/virology; Prevalence; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Retrospective Studies; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome/epidemiology; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome/immunology; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome/microbiology; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome/virology
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review
• Publication version: Accepted version
• Journal title: Acta Microbiologica et Immunologica Hungarica
• Numbering: vol. 61, no. 2, pp. 181-188
• p-ISSN: 1217-8950
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1556/AMicr.61.2014.2.8
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:009157
• Publication: 2014-06
• Document URL: https://doi.org/10.1556/AMicr.61.2014.2.8
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-03-27 20:10:40