Identification of Pneumocystis carinii in the lungs of infants dying of sudden infant death syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Recently Pneumocystis carinii has been identified in a significant number of infants diagnosed as having died from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in South America and Europe.


METHODS
We examined lung sections of 79 infants who died with a diagnosis of SIDS in Rochester, NY, and Connecticut for the presence of P. carinii.


RESULTS
Organisms with a characteristic silver stain appearance for P. carinii were identified in 14% of the lung sections.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that a possible link between some cases of SIDS and infection with P. carinii should be further evaluated and that infection of young infants may serve as an important reservoir for human P. carinii.
Morgan
D J
DJ
Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY 14642, USA.
Vargas
S L
SL
Reyes-Mugica
M
M
Walterspiel
J N
JN
Carver
W
W
Gigliotti
F
F
D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016720:Pneumocystis Infections / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000209:etiology*