Frequency of trichomonads as coinfecting agents in Pneumocystis pneumonia.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the incidence of the association of Trichomonas and Pneumocystis in the lung.


METHODS
Sixty-six bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from immunocompromised patients with pneumocystosis were retrospectively examined microscopically.


RESULTS
Trichomonads were found as coinfecting agents in 60% of BALF samples. The frequency and abundance of trichomonads was increased, up to 100%, in cases rich in Pneumocystis.


CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that pulmonary Trichomonas infection occurs frequently in the course of Pneumocystis pneumonia. The role of trichomonads in causing alveolar damage during Pneumocystis pneumonia is hypothetical.
Duboucher
Christophe
C
Anatomic Pathology Laboratory, Service of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Hôpital de Saint-Germainen-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. christophe.duboucher@online.fr
Gerbod
Delphine
D
Noël
Christophe
C
Durand-Joly
Isabelle
I
Delgado-Viscogliosi
Pilar
P
Leclerc
Catherine
C
Pham
Stéphanie
S
Capron
Monique
M
Dei-Cas
Eduardo
E
Viscogliosi
Eric
E
D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000382:microbiology*; D014244:Trichomonas / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000382:microbiology*