Dynamics of Pneumocystis Carinii Air Shedding During Experimental Pneumocystosis

In immunocompromised patients, the airborne-transmitted Pneumocystis jirovecii (human-derived Pneumocystis) is responsible for a severe interstitial alveolar lung disease, Pneumocystis pneumonia (PcP), which is fatal without specific treatment. This study uses the liquid medium biocollector Coriolis µ branched directly to an HEPA-filtered experimental chamber for collecting the surrounding air exhaled by individual rats experimentally infected with Pneumocystis carinii. By combining this method with a specific qPCR assay, P.carnii from the sampled air could be quantified.