We conducted a pilot study of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) to assess intra-family transmission of P. jirovecii and compare it with data on other prevalent pathogens such as P. aeruginosa and S. pneumoniae, in which respiratory transmission has already been documented. Oral swab samples from 10 patients with CF and 15 household members were collected at baseline and 2 weeks later. P. aeruginosa and S. pneumoniae were assessed using standardized culture methods and PCR, and P. jirovecii was assessed using real and nested PCR, genotyping the positive samples by direct sequencing. P. aeruginosa cultures were positive for 7/10 (70%) of patients with CF at baseline and was identified by PCR in 8/10 (80%) of cases at baseline and 2 weeks later. S. pneumoniae cultures were negative for all patients, but the microorganism was identified by PCR in two cases. P. jirovecii was detected by real time and nested PCR in 5/10 (50%) of the patients at the two time points. In the household members, P. aeruginosa and P. jirovecii were identified in 7/15 (46.7%), and S. pneumoniae was identified in 8/15 (53,3%). The concordance of positive or negative pairs of patients with CF and their household members was 33.3% (5/15) for P. aeruginosa, 46.7% (7/15) for S. pneumonia and 93.3% (14/15) for P. jirovecii. The concordance for P. jirovecii genotypes among five pairs with available genotype was 100%. This study suggests for the first time the possible transmission of Pneumocystis in the home of patients with CF, indicating that patients and their household members are reservoirs and possible sources of infection. LAY SUMMARY This study suggests for the first time the possible transmission of Pneumocystis in the family environment of patients with cystic fibrosis, indicating that patients and their household members are reservoirs and possible sources of this infection.

中文翻译：

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囊性纤维化患者及其家庭成员中的吉氏肺孢子虫。

我们对囊性纤维化（CF）患者进行了一项初步研究，以评估其在家庭中的传播，从而将其与其他流行病原体（如铜绿假单胞菌和肺炎链球菌）的数据进行了比较，这些呼吸道传播已被记录在案。 。在基线时和2周后收集了10位CF患者和15位家庭成员的口腔拭子样本。使用标准化的培养方法和PCR对铜绿假单胞菌和肺炎链球菌进行评估，使用真实和巢式PCR对jirovecii假单胞菌进行评估，并通过直接测序对阳性样品进行基因分型。基线时，铜绿假单胞菌培养物对CF患者有7/10（70％）呈阳性反应，在基线及2周后，通过PCR在8/10（80％）的病例中被鉴定。所有患者的肺炎链球菌培养均为阴性，但有2例通过PCR鉴定出了微生物。在两个时间点，通过实时和巢式PCR在5/10（50％）的患者中检测到jirovecii。在家庭成员中，铜绿假单胞菌和吉罗威氏假单胞菌的检出率为7/15（46.7％），肺炎链球菌的检出率为8/15（53.3％）。铜绿假单胞菌对CF患者及其家属的阳性或阴性对的一致性为33.3％（5/15），肺炎链球菌为46.7％（7/15），对P.肺炎为93.3％（14/15）。吉罗维奇。五对具有可用基因型的对虾假单胞菌基因型的一致性为100％。这项研究首次提出了肺囊肿在CF患者家中的可能传播，表明患者及其家属是水库和可能的感染源。