A fungus, formally believed to be a protozoan, which may cause an atypical pneumonia in severely malnourished or immunologically compromised patients, e.g. AIDS patients.
PNEUMONIA caused by a species of the genus of PROTOZOA, a parasitic micro-organism. Pneumocystis carinii causes an opportunistic infection in the lung which is dangerous to people whose immune system is impaired (see IMMUNITY), thus reducing their resistance to infections. People with AIDS/HIV or LEUKAEMIA have impaired immune systems and P. carinii is a major cause of death in the former. Fever, dry cough and breathlessness are among the symptoms; treatment is with high doses of antibiotic drugs such as CO-TRIMOXAZOLE or PENTAMIDINE.... pneumocystis pneumonia
n. a genus of protozoans. The species P. jiroveci (formerly carinii) causes pneumonia in immunosuppressed patients, usually following intensive chemotherapy. Pneumocystis jiroveci (carinii) pneumonia (PCP) is fatal in 10–30% of cases if untreated, but it can be overcome with high doses of *co-trimoxazole or *pentamidine.... pneumocystis
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