Early Acquisition of Pneumocystis jirovecii Colonization and Potential Association With Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Preterm Newborn Infants

Background. Pneumocystis pneumonia is a well-recognized lung disease of premature and malnourished babies. Even though serologic studies have shown that children are exposed to Pneumocystis jirovecii early in life, the epidemiology of human P. jirovecii infection and the host–microorganism relationship in infancy remain poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of P. jirovecii colonization in preterm infants and its possible association with medical complications. Methods. A prospective observational study of preterm infants (birth weight