"Detection and Genotype Identification of Pneumocystis Jirovecii In COVID-19 Patients with Severe Pneumonia"

Pneumocystis jirovecii is a widespread and important opportunistic fungal or parasitic organisms causing alveolar infection that may affect groups of patients with underlying diseases, particularly those with immunodeficiency.It may coexist with other respiratory infections and increase the severity of the clinical consequences.This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of P. jirovecii and its genotypes in patients with severe pneumonia admitted to intensive care unit in a COVID-19 referral center.A total of 93 mini bronchoalveolar lavage (mini BAL) specimens of COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia and underlying diseases admitted to intensive care unit, were analyzed by cytology staining and PCR method.In addition, the positive P. jirovecii were genotyped by mitochondrial large subunit rRNA locus sequencing.PCR screening of the mini BAL specimens showed that 5 patients (5.38%) had P. jirovecii co-infection with COVID-19.The genotype analysis showed that 3 isolates were P. jirovecii genotype 1 (wild) and 2 isolates were genotype 2. The genotype 3 of this organism was not found in the isolates.The present study showed that the infection rate of P. jirovecii was relatively low in the patients with severe pneumonia.Meanwhile, they were detected in the diabetics or cardiovascular patients.The P. jirovecii isolates consisted of two genotypes I and II.