Hughes W T
J Infect Dis. 1982 Jun;145(6):842-8. doi: 10.1093/infdis/145.6.842.
Axenic rats maintained in germfree isolators were found to be free of Pneumocystis carinii after three months of immunosuppression with dexamethasone. This P. carinii-free rat model was used to identify the mode of acquisition of P. carinii from the natural environment. Germfree were exposed in selective manner to potential sources of P.carinii, including air, water, and food. Animals exposed in the isolator with filtered (sterile) air and to regular (unsterile) water and food did not acquire P. carinii. Rats exposed in open cages to room air but maintained on sterile water and food acquired the infection. Animals fed lung tissue infected with P. carinii did not acquire the infection. These findings show that P. carinii is naturally acquired as an airborne organism in a de novo infection.
在无菌隔离器中饲养的无菌大鼠，经地塞米松免疫抑制三个月后，被发现没有卡氏肺孢子虫。这个无卡氏肺孢子虫的大鼠模型被用来确定从自然环境中获得卡氏肺孢子虫的方式。无菌大鼠被选择性地暴露于卡氏肺孢子虫的潜在来源，包括空气、水和食物。在装有过滤（无菌）空气、饮用常规（未灭菌）水和食用常规食物的隔离器中饲养的动物没有感染卡氏肺孢子虫。暴露在开放笼子中、呼吸室内空气但饮用无菌水和食用无菌食物的大鼠感染了卡氏肺孢子虫。喂食感染了卡氏肺孢子虫的肺组织的动物没有感染。这些发现表明，卡氏肺孢子虫是在新发感染中作为空气传播的生物体自然获得的。
