Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia

Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2010 Mar;24(1):107-38. doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2009.10.010.

Abstract

Pneumocystis jirovecii has gained attention during the last decade in the context of the AIDS epidemic and the increasing use of cytotoxic and immunosuppressive therapies. This article summarizes current knowledge on biology, pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of pulmonary P jirovecii infection, with a particular focus on the evolving pathophysiology and epidemiology. Pneumocystis pneumonia still remains a severe opportunistic infection, associated with a high mortality rate.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host
  • Pneumocystis carinii / isolation & purification*
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / pathology
  • Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / therapy*