Added Value of Next-Generation Sequencing for Multilocus Sequence Typing Analysis of a Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia Outbreak1
Abstract
Pneumocystis jirovecii is a major threat for immunocompromised patients, and clusters of pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) have been increasingly described in transplant units during the past decade. Exploring an outbreak transmission network requires complementary spatiotemporal and strain-typing approaches. We analyzed a PCP outbreak and demonstrated the added value of next-generation sequencing (NGS) for the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) study of P. jirovecii strains. Thirty-two PCP patients were included. Among the 12 solid organ transplant patients, 5 shared a major and unique genotype that was also found as a minor strain in a sixth patient. A transmission map analysis strengthened the suspicion of nosocomial acquisition of this strain for the 6 patients. NGS-MLST enables accurate determination of subpopulation, which allowed excluding other patients from the transmission network. NGS-MLST genotyping approach was essential to deciphering this outbreak. This innovative approach brings new insights for future epidemiologic studies on this uncultivable opportunistic fungus.
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BibTeX
@article{charpentier2026added,
title = {{Added Value of Next-Generation Sequencing for Multilocus Sequence Typing Analysis of a Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia Outbreak1}},
author = {Elena Charpentier and Cécile Garnaud and Claire Wintenberger and Sébastien Bailly and Jean-Benjamin Murat and John Rendu and Patricia Pavese and Thibault Drouet and Caroline Augier and Paolo Malvezzi and Anne Thiébaut-Bertrand and Marie-Reine Mallaret and Olivier Epaulard and Muriel Cornet and Sylvie Larrat and Danièle Maubon},
journal = {Emerging Infectious Diseases},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3201/eid2308.161295},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05790064v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Added Value of Next-Generation Sequencing for Multilocus Sequence Typing Analysis of a Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia Outbreak1
AU - Elena Charpentier
AU - Cécile Garnaud
AU - Claire Wintenberger
AU - Sébastien Bailly
AU - Jean-Benjamin Murat
AU - John Rendu
AU - Patricia Pavese
AU - Thibault Drouet
AU - Caroline Augier
AU - Paolo Malvezzi
AU - Anne Thiébaut-Bertrand
AU - Marie-Reine Mallaret
AU - Olivier Epaulard
AU - Muriel Cornet
AU - Sylvie Larrat
AU - Danièle Maubon
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/09
JO - Emerging Infectious Diseases
DO - 10.3201/eid2308.161295
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05790064v1
AB - Pneumocystis jirovecii is a major threat for immunocompromised patients, and clusters of pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) have been increasingly described in transplant units during the past decade. Exploring an outbreak transmission network requires complementary spatiotemporal and strain-typing approaches. We analyzed a PCP outbreak and demonstrated the added value of next-generation sequencing (NGS) for the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) study of P. jirovecii strains. Thirty-two PCP patients were included. Among the 12 solid organ transplant patients, 5 shared a major and unique genotype that was also found as a minor strain in a sixth patient. A transmission map analysis strengthened the suspicion of nosocomial acquisition of this strain for the 6 patients. NGS-MLST enables accurate determination of subpopulation, which allowed excluding other patients from the transmission network. NGS-MLST genotyping approach was essential to deciphering this outbreak. This innovative approach brings new insights for future epidemiologic studies on this uncultivable opportunistic fungus.
SN - 1080-6040
SN - 1080-6059
ER -