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Proliferation of Pneumocystis Trophozoites in Human Lymph Nodes and in Nude Mice Lungs
Author(s) -
MATSUMOTO YOSHITSUGU,
FRENKEL JACOB K.,
AIKAVVA MASAMICHI,
YOSHIDA YUKIO
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1989.tb02682.x
Subject(s) - cyst , biology , lymph node , pathology , lymph , eosinophilic , electron microscope , immunology , medicine , physics , optics
Pneumocystis infection in athymic nude mice lungs showed a particularly high trophozoite to cyst ratio. A similar observation was obtained from a study of a patient with lymph node infection with Pneumocystis . Eosinophilic foamy masses in these sites were observed by light microscopy. With the electron microscope, the masses were seen to be composed of large aggregates of trophozoites. Cystic forms (precysl, cyst and empty cyst) were extremely scarce in comparison with the huge numbers of trophozoites. These cystic forms were mostly undergoing degeneration. These observations indicate that the mode of proliferation in both situations was predominantly asexual, that is, proliferation by trophozoites, suggesting that certain conditions may enhance asexual reproduction or depress the fonnation of cysts.