A new name (Pneumocystis jiroveci) for Pneumocystis from humans

The disease known as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is a major cause of illness and death in persons with impaired immune systems. While the genus Pneumocystis has been known to science for nearly a century, understanding of its members remained rudimentary until DNA analysis showed its extens...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Emerging infectious diseases 2002-09, Vol.8 (9), p.891-896
Main Authors: Stringer, James R, Beard, Charles B, Miller, Robert F, Wakefield, Ann E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - microbiology
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - microbiology
Bacterial pneumonia
Genetic aspects
Genotype
Humans
Names
Phylogeny
Pneumocystis - classification
Pneumocystis - genetics
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
Pneumocystis Infections - classification
Pneumocystis Infections - microbiology
Pneumonia
Pneumonia, Pneumocystis - classification
Pneumonia, Pneumocystis - microbiology
Species Specificity
Terminology as Topic
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Summary:The disease known as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is a major cause of illness and death in persons with impaired immune systems. While the genus Pneumocystis has been known to science for nearly a century, understanding of its members remained rudimentary until DNA analysis showed its extensive diversity. Pneumocystis organisms from different host species have very different DNA sequences, indicating multiple species. In recognition of its genetic and functional distinctness, the organism that causes human PCP is now named Pneumocystis jiroveci Frenkel 1999. Changing the organism's name does not preclude the use of the acronym PCP because it can be read "Pneumocystis pneumonia." DNA sequence variation exists among samples of P. jiroveci, a feature that allows reexamination of the relationships between host and pathogen. Instead of lifelong latency, transient colonization may be the rule.
ISSN:1080-6040
DOI:10.3201/eid0809.020096