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Buonomo AR, Viceconte G, Fusco L, Sarno M, di Filippo I, Fanasca L, Salvatore P, Gentile I. Prevalence of Pneumocystis jirovecii Colonization in Non-Critical Immunocompetent COVID-19 Patients: A Single-Center Prospective Study (JiroCOVID Study). Microorganisms 2023; 11:2839. [PMID: 38137983 PMCID: PMC10745747 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is an invasive fungal infection (IFI) that occurs mainly in immunocompromised hosts. After observing a high prevalence of PJP as a complication of COVID-19 in immunocompetent patients, we conducted a study to evaluate the prevalence of P. jirovecii colonization with PCR on oral washing samples (OWS) among non-immunocompromised and non-critical patients admitted with COVID-19 pneumonia at our university hospital. METHODS All patients over 18 years of age admitted to the Infectious Diseases Unit for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia between July 2021 and December 2022 were included. Patients undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation or ECMO, those with risk factors for developing PJP, and those receiving prophylaxis for P. jirovecii were excluded. Samples were collected by gargling with 10 mL of 0.9% NaCl on day 14 of the hospital stay or at discharge. RESULTS Of 290 screened patients, 59 (20%) met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled. Only 1 of 59 patients (1.7%) tested positive for P. jirovecii detection with PCR, and the same patient was the only one to develop PJP in the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS Our results are in line with the previous findings of other studies that confirmed a very low prevalence of P. jirovecii colonization on OWS in the immunocompetent population. Despite the limitations of the study, the fact that the only patient who tested positive for P. jirovecii was the only one in our cohort to develop PJP leads us to reflect on the role of this non-invasive sample in predicting the risk of PJP in patients with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Riccardo Buonomo
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Sergio Pansini n.5, 8031 Naples, Italy; (A.R.B.); (L.F.); (M.S.); (I.d.F.); (I.G.)
| | - Giulio Viceconte
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Sergio Pansini n.5, 8031 Naples, Italy; (A.R.B.); (L.F.); (M.S.); (I.d.F.); (I.G.)
| | - Ludovica Fusco
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Sergio Pansini n.5, 8031 Naples, Italy; (A.R.B.); (L.F.); (M.S.); (I.d.F.); (I.G.)
| | - Marina Sarno
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Sergio Pansini n.5, 8031 Naples, Italy; (A.R.B.); (L.F.); (M.S.); (I.d.F.); (I.G.)
| | - Isabella di Filippo
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Sergio Pansini n.5, 8031 Naples, Italy; (A.R.B.); (L.F.); (M.S.); (I.d.F.); (I.G.)
| | - Luca Fanasca
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples “Federico II”, 8031 Naples, Italy; (L.F.); (P.S.)
| | - Paola Salvatore
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples “Federico II”, 8031 Naples, Italy; (L.F.); (P.S.)
| | - Ivan Gentile
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Sergio Pansini n.5, 8031 Naples, Italy; (A.R.B.); (L.F.); (M.S.); (I.d.F.); (I.G.)
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Del Prete V, Paterno G, Cennamo O, Berrilli F, Di Cave D. The effect of COVID-19 on the frequency of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia: a monocentric, retrospective, and observational study. BMC Infect Dis 2023; 23:693. [PMID: 37848811 PMCID: PMC10583417 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08545-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) and SARS-CoV2 share some similarities in their effects on the respiratory system, clinical presentation, and management. The COVID-19 pandemic required rapid action to curb transmission and mitigate its lethiferous impact. Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) were globally adopted. We hypothesized that these measures reduced the transmission and acquisition of P. jirovecii in both hospital and community settings. METHODS We conducted a retrospective observational study on 2950 respiratory specimens from patients with suspected pulmonary infection, analyzed at the Laboratory of Parasitology Unit of the Policlinico Tor Vergata of Rome, Italy, from January 2014 to December 2022. RESULTS We show a significant reduction in the frequency of PCP in the COVID-19 pandemic era compared to the previous period. Among the four sequence types of P. jirovecii identified, genotype 1 was the most prevalent (37%). We observed a non-significant trend of decreasing cases with genotype 1 and increasing cases with genotype 3 over the study period. CONCLUSIONS The nationwide implementation of NPIs against COVID-19 may have changed the microbiological landscape of exposure, thereby decreasing the exposure to P. jirovecii and consequently reducing the incidence of PCP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Del Prete
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovangiacinto Paterno
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
| | - Oreste Cennamo
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Berrilli
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - David Di Cave
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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Xue T, Kong X, Ma L. Trends in the Epidemiology of Pneumocystis Pneumonia in Immunocompromised Patients without HIV Infection. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:812. [PMID: 37623583 PMCID: PMC10455156 DOI: 10.3390/jof9080812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing morbidity and mortality of life-threatening Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in immunocompromised people poses a global concern, prompting the World Health Organization to list it as one of the 19 priority invasive fungal diseases, calling for increased research and public health action. In response to this initiative, we provide this review on the epidemiology of PCP in non-HIV patients with various immunodeficient conditions, including the use of immunosuppressive agents, cancer therapies, solid organ and stem cell transplantation, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, inherited or primary immunodeficiencies, and COVID-19. Special attention is given to the molecular epidemiology of PCP outbreaks in solid organ transplant recipients; the risk of PCP associated with the increasing use of immunodepleting monoclonal antibodies and a wide range of genetic defects causing primary immunodeficiency; the trend of concurrent infection of PCP in COVID-19; the prevalence of colonization; and the rising evidence supporting de novo infection rather than reactivation of latent infection in the pathogenesis of PCP. Additionally, we provide a concise discussion of the varying effects of different immunodeficient conditions on distinct components of the immune system. The objective of this review is to increase awareness and knowledge of PCP in non-HIV patients, thereby improving the early identification and treatment of patients susceptible to PCP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Xue
- NHC Key Laboratory of Pneumoconiosis, Key Laboratory of Prophylaxis and Treatment and Basic Research of Respiratory Diseases of Shanxi Province, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Respiratory, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Xiaomei Kong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Pneumoconiosis, Key Laboratory of Prophylaxis and Treatment and Basic Research of Respiratory Diseases of Shanxi Province, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Respiratory, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Liang Ma
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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de Carvalho Patricio BF, da Silva Lopes Pereira JO, Sarcinelli MA, de Moraes BPT, Rocha HVA, Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque CF. Could the Lung Be a Gateway for Amphotericin B to Attack the Army of Fungi? Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:2707. [PMID: 36559201 PMCID: PMC9784761 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14122707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, primarily affecting immunocompromised patients. Aspergillus, Pneumocystis, and Cryptococcus are opportunistic fungi and may cause severe lung disease. They can develop mechanisms to evade the host immune system and colonize or cause lung disease. Current fungal infection treatments constitute a few classes of antifungal drugs with significant fungi resistance development. Amphotericin B (AmB) has a broad-spectrum antifungal effect with a low incidence of resistance. However, AmB is a highly lipophilic antifungal with low solubility and permeability and is unstable in light, heat, and oxygen. Due to the difficulty of achieving adequate concentrations of AmB in the lung by intravenous administration and seeking to minimize adverse effects, nebulized AmB has been used. The pulmonary pathway has advantages such as its rapid onset of action, low metabolic activity at the site of action, ability to avoid first-pass hepatic metabolism, lower risk of adverse effects, and thin thickness of the alveolar epithelium. This paper presented different strategies for pulmonary AmB delivery, detailing the potential of nanoformulation and hoping to foster research in the field. Our finds indicate that despite an optimistic scenario for the pulmonary formulation of AmB based on the encouraging results discussed here, there is still no product registration on the FDA nor any clinical trial undergoing ClinicalTrial.gov.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Ferreira de Carvalho Patricio
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Biomedical Institute, Federal University of State of Rio de Janeiro, 94 Frei Caneca Street, Rio de Janeiro 20211-010, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Molecular and Cell Biology, Biomedical Institute, Federal University of State of Rio de Janeiro, 94 Frei Caneca Street, Rio de Janeiro 20211-010, Brazil
| | | | - Michelle Alvares Sarcinelli
- Laboratory of Micro and Nanotechnology, Institute of Technology of Drugs, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil Av., 4036, Rio de Janeiro 213040-361, Brazil
| | - Bianca Portugal Tavares de Moraes
- Postgraduate Program in Biotechnology, Biology Institute, Federal Fluminense University, Rua Prof. Marcos Waldemar de Freitas Reis, Niterói 24210-201, Brazil
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Biomedical Institute, Federal University of State of Rio de Janeiro, 94 Frei Caneca Street, Rio de Janeiro 20211-010, Brazil
| | - Helvécio Vinicius Antunes Rocha
- Laboratory of Micro and Nanotechnology, Institute of Technology of Drugs, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil Av., 4036, Rio de Janeiro 213040-361, Brazil
| | - Cassiano Felippe Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque
- Postgraduate Program in Molecular and Cell Biology, Biomedical Institute, Federal University of State of Rio de Janeiro, 94 Frei Caneca Street, Rio de Janeiro 20211-010, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Biotechnology, Biology Institute, Federal Fluminense University, Rua Prof. Marcos Waldemar de Freitas Reis, Niterói 24210-201, Brazil
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Biomedical Institute, Federal University of State of Rio de Janeiro, 94 Frei Caneca Street, Rio de Janeiro 20211-010, Brazil
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Clinical Challenges of Emerging and Re-Emerging Yeast Infections in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10112223. [PMID: 36363816 PMCID: PMC9695014 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10112223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
During the geological eras, some fungi, through adaptation and/or environmental/ecological pressure, interacted directly and indirectly with humans, through occasionally harmful interaction interdependent on the individual’s immunological condition. Infections caused by yeasts are underreported, subjugated, and underdiagnosed, and treatment is restricted to a few drugs, even after the significant progress of medicine and pharmacology. In the last centuries, antagonistically, there has been an exponential increase of immunocompromised individuals due to the use of immunosuppressive drugs such as corticosteroids, increased cases of transplants, chemotherapeutics, autoimmune diseases, neoplasms, and, more recently, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This review aims to survey emerging and re-emerging yeast infections in the current clinical context. Currently, there is an immense clinical challenge for the rapid and correct diagnosis and treatment of systemic mycoses caused by yeasts due to the terrible increase in cases in the current context of COVID-19.
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Fernández-Cruz A, Magira E. Current Issues in Fungal Infections and COVID-19. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:1115. [PMID: 36354882 PMCID: PMC9693358 DOI: 10.3390/jof8111115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought up a new host for fungal invasive infections [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Fernández-Cruz
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Internal Medicine Department, University Hospital Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda, Health Research Institute Puerta de Hierro-Segovia de Arana, 28222 Majadahonda, Spain
| | - Eleni Magira
- First Department of Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Services, Evangelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, 11527 Athens, Greece
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