First data on Pneumocystis jirovecii colonization in patients with respiratory diseases in North Lebanon

S Khalife; E M Aliouat; C M Aliouat-Denis; N Gantois; P Devos; H Mallat; E Dei-Cas; F Dabboussi; M Hamze; E Fréalle

doi:10.1016/j.nmni.2015.02.006

First data on Pneumocystis jirovecii colonization in patients with respiratory diseases in North Lebanon

New Microbes New Infect. 2015 Mar 4:6:11-4. doi: 10.1016/j.nmni.2015.02.006. eCollection 2015 Jul.

Authors

S Khalife¹, E M Aliouat², C M Aliouat-Denis², N Gantois², P Devos³, H Mallat⁴, E Dei-Cas⁵, F Dabboussi⁴, M Hamze⁴, E Fréalle⁵

Affiliations

¹ Biology and Diversity of Emerging Eukaryotic Pathogens (BDPEE), Pasteur Institute of Lille, Centre for Infection and Immunity of Lille, University of Lille, Lille, France ; Health and Environment Microbiology Laboratory, AZM Centre for Research in Biotechnology and its Application, Doctoral School of Sciences and Technology, Lebanese University, Tripoli, Lebanon.
² Biology and Diversity of Emerging Eukaryotic Pathogens (BDPEE), Pasteur Institute of Lille, Centre for Infection and Immunity of Lille, University of Lille, Lille, France.
³ Department of Research, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France.
⁴ Health and Environment Microbiology Laboratory, AZM Centre for Research in Biotechnology and its Application, Doctoral School of Sciences and Technology, Lebanese University, Tripoli, Lebanon.
⁵ Biology and Diversity of Emerging Eukaryotic Pathogens (BDPEE), Pasteur Institute of Lille, Centre for Infection and Immunity of Lille, University of Lille, Lille, France ; Parasitology-Mycology Laboratory of Lille University Hospital Centre & Faculty of Medicine of Lille, University of Lille, Lille, France.

Abstract

Pneumocystis colonization may play a role in transmission and local inflammatory response. It was explored in patients with respiratory diseases in North Lebanon. Overall prevalence reached only 5.2% (95% CI 2.13-10.47) but it was higher (17.3%) in the subpopulation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD was the only factor associated with a significantly increased risk of colonization. mtLSU genotyping revealed predominance of genotype 2, identified in five patients (71.4%), including one patient who had co-infection with genotype 3. These first data in North Lebanon confirm Pneumocystis circulation among patients with respiratory diseases and the potential for transmission to immunocompromised patients.

Keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Lebanon; Pneumocystis colonization; mtLSU genotype; respiratory diseases.