Pneumocystis pneumonia

2016 ◽  
pp. 269-274
Author(s):  
Asha Sarma ◽  
Ritu R. Gill
Keyword(s):  
Pneumocystis Pneumonia

Fever in the returning traveller: Dual infection with SARS-CoV-2 and Plasmodium falciparum malaria

2020 ◽  
pp. 105-108
Author(s):  
MA Parker ◽  
E Nell ◽  
A Mowlana ◽  
MS Moolla ◽  
S Karamchand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Falciparum Malaria ◽  
Clinical Course ◽  
Febrile Illness ◽  
Plasmodium Falciparum Malaria ◽  
Dual Infection ◽  
Pneumocystis Pneumonia ◽  
Case Presentation ◽  
Presenting Symptoms ◽  
Uncomplicated Plasmodium Falciparum Malaria

Background: More than 90% of the global 400 000 annual malaria deaths occur in Africa. The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in more than 830 000 deaths in its first 10 months. Case presentation: This case describes a patient who had travelled from Mozambique to Cape Town, presented with a mild febrile illness, and was diagnosed with both COVID-19 and uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection. She responded well to malaria treatment and had an uneventful COVID-19 admission. Her blood smear showed a low malaria parasitaemia and a relatively high gametocyte load. Conclusion: We postulate that her clinical course and abnormal smear could well be due to reciprocal disease-modifying effects of the infections. The presenting symptoms of COVID-19 may mimic endemic infectious diseases including malaria, tuberculosis, pneumocystis pneumonia and influenza thus there is a need for clinical vigilance to identify and treat such co-infections.

scholarly journals Use of β-D-glucan in diagnosis of suspected Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in adults with HIV infection

2021 ◽  
pp. 095646242110222
Author(s):  
Thomas Juniper ◽  
Chris P Eades ◽  
Eliza Gil ◽  
Harriet Fodder ◽  
Killian Quinn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Predictive Value ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Elevated Serum ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Pneumocystis Pneumonia ◽  
Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia ◽  
Alternative Diagnosis ◽  
Positive Threshold ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

Objectives: An elevated serum (1-3)-β-D-glucan (BDG) concentration has high sensitivity for a diagnosis of Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in people with HIV (PWH). At the current manufacturer-recommended positive threshold of 80 pg/mL (Fungitell), specificity for PCP is variable and other diagnostic tests are required. We evaluated the utility of serum BDG for diagnosis of suspected PCP in PWH at three inner-London hospitals to determine BDG concentrations for diagnosis and exclusion of PCP. Methods: From clinical case records, we abstracted demographic and clinical information and categorised patients as having confirmed or probable PCP, or an alternative diagnosis. We calculated sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) of serum BDG concentrations >400 pg/mL and negative predictive value (NPV) of BDG <80 pg/mL. Results: 76 patients were included; 29 had laboratory-confirmed PCP, 17 had probable PCP and 30 had an alternative diagnosis. Serum BDG >400 pg/mL had a sensitivity of 83%, specificity of 97% and PPV 97% for diagnosis of PCP; BDG <80 pg/mL had 100% NPV for exclusion of PCP. Conclusions: In PWH with suspected PCP, BDG <80 pg/mL excludes a diagnosis of PCP, whereas BDG concentrations >400 pg/mL effectively confirm the diagnosis. Values 80–400 pg/mL should prompt additional diagnostic tests.

scholarly journals Detection of Pneumocystis jirovecii in Hospitalized Children Less Than 3 Years of Age

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 546
Author(s):  
Estelle Menu ◽  
Jean-Sélim Driouich ◽  
Léa Luciani ◽  
Aurélie Morand ◽  
Stéphane Ranque ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency ◽  
Hyaline Membrane Disease ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Underlying Disease ◽  
Pneumocystis Pneumonia ◽  
Pneumocystis Jirovecii ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Respiratory Sample ◽  
Few Data ◽  
Underlying Diseases

Few data are available in the literature regarding Pneumocystis jirovecii infection in children under 3 years old. This retrospective cohort study aimed to describe medically relevant information among them. All children under 3 years old treated in the same medical units from April 2014 to August 2020 and in whom a P. jirovecii evaluation was undertaken were enrolled in the study. A positive case was defined as a child presenting at least one positive PCR for P. jirovecii in a respiratory sample. Medically relevant information such as demographical characteristics, clinical presentation, microbiological co-infections, and treatments were collected. The objectives were to describe the characteristics of these children with P. jirovecii colonization/infection to determine the key underlying diseases and risk factors, and to identify viral respiratory pathogens associated. The PCR was positive for P. jirovecii in 32 children. Cardiopulmonary pathologies (21.9%) were the most common underlying disease in them, followed by severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) (18.8%), hyaline membrane disease (15.6%), asthma (9.4%) and acute leukaemia (6.3%). All SCID children were diagnosed with pneumocystis pneumonia. Co-infection with Pj/Rhinovirus (34.4%) was not significant. Overall mortality was 18.8%. Paediatric pneumocystis is not restricted to patients with HIV or SCID and should be considered in pneumonia in children under 3 years old.

scholarly journals Lymphocyte subset analysis to evaluate the prognosis of HIV-negative patients with pneumocystis pneumonia

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan Jin ◽  
Jing Xie ◽  
Huan-ling Wang
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Lymphocyte Subsets ◽  
Nk Cell ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
Pneumocystis Pneumonia ◽  
Lymphocyte Subset ◽  
Cd4 T Cell ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Hiv Negative

Abstract Objectives We analysed the peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients infected with pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) to determine the relationships between the levels of different types of lymphocytes and the prognosis of patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed HIV-negative patients with PCP diagnosed in our department. All the eligible patients underwent lymphocyte subset analysis on admission. Results A total of 88 HIV-negative PCP patients were enrolled in the study. In univariate analyses, low CD4+ T cell count, low CD8+ T cell count, and low natural killer cell (NK cell) count were associated with higher in-hospital mortality. CD8+ T cell count ≤300/μL was found to be an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in multivariate logistical regression analysis (p = 0.015, OR = 11.526, 95% CI = 1.597–83.158). Although low CD4+ T cell and NK cell counts were not independent risk factors, the mortality rates of PCP patients decreased as the CD4+ T cell and NK cell counts increased. Conclusion The immune process of Pneumocystis jirovecii infection is complex but important. We propose that lymphocyte subsets could give clinicians a better understanding of patient immune status, helping with the early identification of potentially lethal infections and treatment decision making, such as adjusting the immunosuppressive regimen and choosing an appropriate patient monitoring level.

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