BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuPneumocystis jiroveci pneumoniaPneumocystis pneumonia; Pneumocystosis; PCP; Pneumocystis carinii; PJP pneumoniaPneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia is a fungal infection of the lungs. The disease used to be called Pneumocystis carini or PCP pneumonia. Causes This type of pneumonia is caused by the fungus Pneumocystis jiroveci. This fungus is common in the environment and rarely causes illness in healthy people.However, it can cause a lung infection in people with a weakened immune system due to:Cancer Long-term use of corticosteroids or other medicines that weaken the immune system HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDSHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). When a person becomes infected with HIV, the ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Organ or bone marrow transplantPneumocystis jiroveci was a rare infection before the AIDS epidemic. Before the use of preventive antibiotics for the condition, most people in the United States with advanced AIDS often developed this infection. Symptoms Pneumocystis pneumonia in people with AIDS usually develops slowly over days to weeks or even months, and is less severe. People with pneumocystis pneumonia who do not have AIDS usually get sick faster and are more severely ill.Symptoms include:Cough, often mild and dry Fever Rapid breathing Shortness of breath, especially with activity (exertion) Exams and Tests Your health care provider will examine you and ask about your symptoms.Tests that may be ordered include:Blood gases (both arterial and venous) Blood gasesBlood gases are a measurement of how much oxygen and carbon dioxide are in your blood. They also determine the acidity (pH) of your blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bronchoscopy (with lavage) BronchoscopyBronchoscopy is a test to view the airways and diagnose lung disease. It may also be used during the treatment of some lung conditions.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lung biopsy Lung biopsyA lung needle biopsy is a method to remove a piece of lung tissue for examination. If it is done through the wall of your chest, it is called a tran...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article X-ray of the chest X-ray of the chestA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sputum exam to check for fungus that causes the infection CBC Beta-1,3 glucan level in the blood and/or lavage fluid from bronchoscopy Treatment Anti-infection medicines can be given by mouth (orally) or through a vein (intravenously), depending on how severe the illness is.IntravenouslyIntravenous means "within a vein. " Most often it refers to giving medicines or fluids through a needle or tube inserted into a vein. This allows th...Read Article Now Book Mark Article People with low oxygen levels and moderate to severe disease are often prescribed corticosteroids as well. Outlook (Prognosis) Pneumocystis pneumonia can be life threatening. It can cause respiratory failure that can lead to death. People with this condition need early and effective treatment. For moderate to severe pneumocystis pneumonia in people with HIV/AIDS, the short term use of corticosteroids has decreased the incidence of death. Possible Complications Complications that may result include:Pleural effusion (extremely rare) Pleural effusionA pleural effusion is a buildup of fluid between the layers of tissue that line the lungs and chest cavity.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Pneumothorax (collapsed lung) PneumothoraxA collapsed lung occurs when air escapes from the lung. The air then fills the space outside of the lung between the lung and chest wall. This buil...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Respiratory failure (may require breathing support)RespiratoryThe words "respiratory" and "respiration" refer to the lungs and breathing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional If you have a weakened immune system due to AIDS, cancer, transplantation, or corticosteroid use, contact your provider if you develop a cough, fever, or shortness of breath. Prevention Preventive therapy is recommended for:People with HIV/AIDS who have CD4 counts below 200 cells/microliter or 200 cells/cubic millimeter Bone marrow transplant recipients Organ transplant recipients People who take long-term, high-dose corticosteroids People who have had previous episodes of this infection People who take long-term immunomodulatory drugsOpen ReferencesReferencesKovacs JA. Pneumocystis pneumonia. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 321.Miller RF Walzer PD, Smulian AG. Pneumocystis species. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 269.AllVideoImagesTogLungs - illustration The major features of the lungs include the bronchi, the bronchioles and the alveoli. The alveoli are the microscopic blood vessel-lined sacks in which oxygen and carbon dioxide gas are exchanged.LungsillustrationAIDS - illustration AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is caused by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and is a syndrome that leaves the body vulnerable to a host of life-threatening illnesses. There is no cure for AIDS, but treatment with antiviral medicine can suppress symptoms. AIDS is universally fatal, in large part due to the proliferation of opportunistic infections.AIDSillustrationPneumocystosis - illustration Pneumocystosis is an infection of the lungs caused by the microorganism Pneumocystis carinii. Pneumocystosis is almost exclusively seen in individuals whose immune systems have been compromised by AIDS or chemotherapy. Pneumocystosis is usually a terminal event in AIDS patients.PneumocystosisillustrationLungs - illustration The major features of the lungs include the bronchi, the bronchioles and the alveoli. The alveoli are the microscopic blood vessel-lined sacks in which oxygen and carbon dioxide gas are exchanged.LungsillustrationAIDS - illustration AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is caused by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and is a syndrome that leaves the body vulnerable to a host of life-threatening illnesses. There is no cure for AIDS, but treatment with antiviral medicine can suppress symptoms. AIDS is universally fatal, in large part due to the proliferation of opportunistic infections.AIDSillustrationPneumocystosis - illustration Pneumocystosis is an infection of the lungs caused by the microorganism Pneumocystis carinii. Pneumocystosis is almost exclusively seen in individuals whose immune systems have been compromised by AIDS or chemotherapy. Pneumocystosis is usually a terminal event in AIDS patients.PneumocystosisillustrationA Closer Look Pneumonia - InDepth(In-Depth)Related Information HIV/AIDS(Condition)Respiratory(Special Topic)Collapsed lung (pneumothorax)(Condition)Pneumonia in adults - discharge(Discharge)Pneumonia - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 11/23/2021 Reviewed By: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. 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Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumoniaPneumocystis pneumonia; Pneumocystosis; PCP; Pneumocystis carinii; PJP pneumoniaPneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia is a fungal infection of the lungs. The disease used to be called Pneumocystis carini or PCP pneumonia. Causes This type of pneumonia is caused by the fungus Pneumocystis jiroveci. This fungus is common in the environment and rarely causes illness in healthy people.However, it can cause a lung infection in people with a weakened immune system due to:Cancer Long-term use of corticosteroids or other medicines that weaken the immune system HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDSHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). When a person becomes infected with HIV, the ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Organ or bone marrow transplantPneumocystis jiroveci was a rare infection before the AIDS epidemic. Before the use of preventive antibiotics for the condition, most people in the United States with advanced AIDS often developed this infection. Symptoms Pneumocystis pneumonia in people with AIDS usually develops slowly over days to weeks or even months, and is less severe. People with pneumocystis pneumonia who do not have AIDS usually get sick faster and are more severely ill.Symptoms include:Cough, often mild and dry Fever Rapid breathing Shortness of breath, especially with activity (exertion) Exams and Tests Your health care provider will examine you and ask about your symptoms.Tests that may be ordered include:Blood gases (both arterial and venous) Blood gasesBlood gases are a measurement of how much oxygen and carbon dioxide are in your blood. They also determine the acidity (pH) of your blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bronchoscopy (with lavage) BronchoscopyBronchoscopy is a test to view the airways and diagnose lung disease. It may also be used during the treatment of some lung conditions.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lung biopsy Lung biopsyA lung needle biopsy is a method to remove a piece of lung tissue for examination. If it is done through the wall of your chest, it is called a tran...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article X-ray of the chest X-ray of the chestA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sputum exam to check for fungus that causes the infection CBC Beta-1,3 glucan level in the blood and/or lavage fluid from bronchoscopy Treatment Anti-infection medicines can be given by mouth (orally) or through a vein (intravenously), depending on how severe the illness is.IntravenouslyIntravenous means "within a vein. " Most often it refers to giving medicines or fluids through a needle or tube inserted into a vein. This allows th...Read Article Now Book Mark Article People with low oxygen levels and moderate to severe disease are often prescribed corticosteroids as well. Outlook (Prognosis) Pneumocystis pneumonia can be life threatening. It can cause respiratory failure that can lead to death. People with this condition need early and effective treatment. For moderate to severe pneumocystis pneumonia in people with HIV/AIDS, the short term use of corticosteroids has decreased the incidence of death. Possible Complications Complications that may result include:Pleural effusion (extremely rare) Pleural effusionA pleural effusion is a buildup of fluid between the layers of tissue that line the lungs and chest cavity.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Pneumothorax (collapsed lung) PneumothoraxA collapsed lung occurs when air escapes from the lung. The air then fills the space outside of the lung between the lung and chest wall. This buil...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Respiratory failure (may require breathing support)RespiratoryThe words "respiratory" and "respiration" refer to the lungs and breathing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional If you have a weakened immune system due to AIDS, cancer, transplantation, or corticosteroid use, contact your provider if you develop a cough, fever, or shortness of breath. Prevention Preventive therapy is recommended for:People with HIV/AIDS who have CD4 counts below 200 cells/microliter or 200 cells/cubic millimeter Bone marrow transplant recipients Organ transplant recipients People who take long-term, high-dose corticosteroids People who have had previous episodes of this infection People who take long-term immunomodulatory drugsOpen ReferencesReferencesKovacs JA. Pneumocystis pneumonia. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 321.Miller RF Walzer PD, Smulian AG. Pneumocystis species. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 269.