Pneumocystosis | |
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Other names | Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia,[1] Pneumocystis pneumonia,[2] PCP, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia[3] |
Pneumocystis jirovecii cysts | |
Specialty | Infectious diseases[1] |
Symptoms | |
Complications |
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Types |
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Causes | Pneumocystis jirovecii[1] |
Risk factors | Poor immunity, HIV/AIDS[4] |
Diagnostic method | Medical imaging, bronchoalveolar lavage, immunofluorescence assay, biopsy[2] |
Prevention | Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) in high risk groups[7] |
Medication | Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole)[4] |
Frequency | Uncommon,[4] 97% in lungs[7] |
Pneumocystosis is a fungal infection that most often presents as Pneumocystis pneumonia in people with HIV/AIDS or poor immunity.[1][7] It usually causes cough, difficulty breathing and fever, and can lead to respiratory failure.[4] Involvement outside the lungs is rare but, can occur as a disseminated type affecting lymph nodes, spleen, liver, bone marrow, eyes, kidneys, thyroid, gastrointestinal tract or other organs.[5][7] If occurring in the skin, it usually presents as nodular growths in the ear canals or underarms.[3]
It is caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii, a fungus which is usually breathed in and found in the lungs of healthy people without causing disease, until the person's immune system becomes weakened.[7]
Diagnosis is by identifying the organism from a sample of fluid from affected lungs or a biopsy.[3][4] Prevention in high risk people, and treatment in those affected is usually with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole).[4][8]
The prevalence is unknown.[7] Less than 3% of cases do not involve the lungs.[7] The first cases of pneumocystosis affecting lungs were described in premature infants in Europe following the Second World War.[9]
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