Pneumocystis jirovecii Colonization in Preterm Newborns With Respiratory Distress Syndrome

We describe the prevalence of Pneumocystis jirovecii in mother-infant pairs of very low birth weight newborns <32 weeks gestation. Molecular and microscopic methods were used for detection of P. jirovecii in patients’ specimens. Pneumocystis DNA was detected in 8 nasopharyngeal aspirates (14%) of 56 newborns and in 7 oral washes (21%) of 34 mothers. Pneumocystis detection immediately after birth suggests the possibility of its transplacental transmission. Compared to noncolonized infants, more frequent occurrence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia was seen in colonized infants (P = .02), suggesting a potential clinical importance of this pathogen in abnormal lung development.