[Pneumocystis pneumonia].
Pneumocystis jirovecii (formerly Pneumocystis carinii) is an ascomycetous fungus that causes opportunistic pulmonary infections in immunocompromised patients such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, haematological/solid malignancies, transplant recipients and receiving chronic immunosuppressive medications. Although the reports of defects of cell-mediated immunity in patients with diabetes abound, diabetes mellitus is not considerable risk of developing Pneumocystis pneumonia. In this review, I discuss aspects of the biology of this pathogen and the damage it causes to the host lung, and then I summarize the clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings of Pneumocystis pneumonia in immunocompromised patients.
Fujii
Takeshi
T
Department of Infectious Diseases and Applied Immunology, The University of Tokyo, The Institute of Medical Science.
D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012306:Risk; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000935:Antifungal Agents