[Clinical characteristics and diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the clinical characteristics and the diagnostic methods for PCP in patients with AIDS.


METHODS
Twelve cases of AIDS associated PCP confirmed by sputum polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were analyzed.


RESULTS
Tuberculosis was found in 4 cases and pneumonia in 1 case of PCP. Sputum PCR was positive in all the 12 cases, of them blood PCR was positive in 9, Gomori methenamine silver stain (GMS) positive in 5 and Giemsa stain positive in 6 cases. The CD(4)(+) lymphocyte count was (5 approximately 155) x 10(6)/L, with a mean of (51 +/- 48) x 10(6)/L; the number of CD(4)(+) cells less than 100 x 10(6)/L in 10 cases (83%) with 9 cases (75%) less than 50 x 10(6)/L. The CD(4)(+)/CD(8)(+) ratio was 0.01 approximately 0.29.


CONCLUSIONS
PCP was common in patients with advanced AIDS and often co-infected with other opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis. A diagnosis of PCP should be considered if sputum PCR is positive and typical clinical manifestations are present in patients with AIDS.
Zhang
Ke
K
Beijing Youan Hospital, Beijing 100054, China.
Ma
Daqing
D
Xu
Bin
B
Zhao
Dawei
D
Wu
Hao
H
Hua
Liwei
L
Qin
Shulin
S
Xu
Lianzhi
L
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy