Pneumocystis pneumonia

Question 1

What is pneumocystis pneumonia?

Answer 1

• fungal infection causing pneumonia in immunocompromised people

Question 2

Pneumocystis pneumonia presentation

Answer 2

• fever
• shortness of breath
• fatigue
• malaise
• increased resp rate
• normal breath sounds

Question 3

Pneumocystis pneumonia investigations

Answer 3

• O2 sats
• bilateral interstitial pulmonary infiltrates on CXR
• sputum culture (often negative)
• bronchoalveolar lavage (silver stained cysts)

Question 4

Complications of pneumocystis pneumonia

Answer 4

• pneumothorax
• hepatosplenomegaly
• lymphadenopathy
• choroid lesions on retina

Question 5

Pneumocystis pneumonia management

Answer 5

• Co-trimoxazole for 21 days
• IV pentamidine in severe cases
• steroids if hypoxic, reduces respiratory failure risk