Why are Nearly All AIDS Patients at Risk of Developing

Question

Why are nearly all AIDS patients at risk of developing Pneumocystis pneumonia?
A) Pneumocystis jiroveci is becoming a wide-spread contaminant in health care environments.
B) Pneumocystis jiroveci is commonly found in a wide variety of soils.
C) The pathogen is easily transmitted from infected persons to others.
D) Pneumocystis jiroveci is a common member of the respiratory microbiome in humans and opportunistic pathogen.
E) Pneumocystis jiroveci is zoonotic in a wide range of vertebrates and exposure is unavoidable.

Accepted Answer

Pneumocystis jiroveci is an opportunistic pathogen that is commonly found in the respiratory microbiome of healthy individuals. However, in immunocompromised individuals, such as those with AIDS, the pathogen can cause infections, including Pneumocystis pneumonia. Therefore, nearly all AIDS patients are at risk of developing this type of pneumonia.