Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Lungs

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia

Alternative Names:

Pneumocystosis; PCP; Pneumocystis jiroveci
Treatment:

The mainstay of treatment for PCP is antimicrobial therapy. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is the drug of choice for PCP, and may be given orally or via the intravenous route depending on the severity of the illness.

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In individuals with low levels of oxygenation and moderate to severe PCP, corticosteroids are frequently used as well. Other antimicrobials used for the treatment of PCP include: pentamidine, trimethoprim-dapsone, clindamycin, primaquine, and atovaquone.

Expectations (prognosis):

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia can be life-threatening, and death may occur due to respiratory failure -- hence early and effective treatment is necessary. For moderate to severe PCP in individuals with AIDS, the use of adjunctive corticosteroids has also led to decreased mortality.

Complications:

respiratory failure -- may require mechanical ventilation
pneumothorax
pleural effusion (extremely rare)

Calling your health care provider:

Individuals with weakened immune systems due to AIDS, cancer, transplantation, or corticosteroid use should notify their physician if they develop cough, fevers, and/or shortness of breath.

While there are many infections that may lead to similar symptoms, a medical evaluation must be performed to rule out opportunistic infections like PCP.