title: Profile of pneumocystis infection in a tertiary care institute in North India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pneumocystis jiroveciipneumonia (PcP) is still remains a common opportunistic disease in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected individuals. Study on PcP in developing countries are scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the occurrence ofP. jiroveciiinfection in clinically suspected individuals in a tertiary care institute.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study conducted in a tertiary care hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two years data regarding respiratory sample analysis, HIV status, and cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) cell count of clinically suspected pneumocystis infection patients with known/unknown HIV status were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data of 45 eligible patients were analyzed. The majority of the patients were male (between 21 and 50 years of age). Total 26 (57.7%) patients were HIV reactive, of which 14 had CD4 count of <200 cells/mm3. 20 patients (9 HIV reactive and 11 unknown HIV status) were confirmed with pneumocystosis by direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) staining. Four of 14 HIV reactive individuals who had CD4 count of <200 cells/mm3and 5 of 12 HIV reactive individuals who had CD4 count of >200 cells/mm3were positive for pneumocystosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pneumocystis pneumonia is still prevalent in North India and is mainly affecting patients in economically productive and sexually active age group. To diagnose pneumocystosis, DFA is an easily available method in resource-limited settings. Appreciating the actual HIV or immunodeficiency status and the CD4 profile of an individual with symptoms of pneumocystis infection will help the clinicians in early diagnosis and initiation appropriate therapy in individuals living with the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Hospitals, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Ravinder
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Hospitals, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Pragyan Swagatika
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Panda
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Hospitals, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Richa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dewan
keywords: Cluster of differentiation 4 count; North India; human immunodeficiency virus status; pneumocystosis