Application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in the diagnosis and treatment guidance of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in renal transplant recipients

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is difficult to be diagnosed, so this study explored if PJP could be diagnosed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and if mNGS could guide the therapy of PJP. mNGS was successfully diagnosed 13 out of 14 PJP recipients with 11 through peripheral blood samples, verified by PCR. Ten non-PJP recipients were enrolled as the control group. Blood tests revealed a high β-D-glucan (BDG) level in all recipients with PJP during the hospitalization. Four (28.6%) of 14 PJP patients were infected with cytomegalovirus simultaneously, while 8 (57.1%) suffered from a combined infection caused by Torque teno virus. Five (35.7%) of 14 cases died of PJP or the subsequent bacteremias/bacterial pneumonia with a longer interval between the onset and diagnosis of/the available therapy against PJP than survival cases. Univariate analysis of characteristics between PJP and non-PJP recipients revealed that BDG assays was higher at the admission in PJP group (P =0.011). This present study supports the value of mNGS detection of blood sample in diagnosing PJP, which could assist clinical decision for therapy against PJ and improve outcome of PJP. The study also highlights the sensitivity of BDG assays. Cytomegalovirus and Torque teno virus infections often occur at the same time of PJP, thus can be alerts of PJP.