Chapter 12, Problem 9CT

Summary Introduction

To answer:

Twenty years ago, Pneumocystis jirovecii, a pathogen of immunocompromised patients that causes pneumonia, was classified as a protozoan because; it is a chemoheterotrophic that lacks a cell wall. However, taxonomists today classify Pneumocystis as a fungus. Why do you think this pathogen has been reclassified as a fungus?

Introduction:

Pneumocystis jirovecii is previously known as P. carinii, is a yeast-like fungus. It causes pneumocystis pneumonia. It mainly affects immunocompromised patients, like patients with HIV. When it was called as P. carinii, it was known to cause disease in rats and human.