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Pneumocystis jirovecii (Pneumocystis pneumonia)

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Pneumocystis jirovecii (Pneumocystis pneumonia)

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12 pages
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Pneumocystis jirovecii (Pneumocystis pneumonia)

36 flashcards
Questions

USMLE® Step 1 style questions USMLE

2 questions
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A 41-year-old man presents to the emergency department with a worsening cough, dyspnea, and fever for the past two days. The patient is HIV positive; the last CD4 count was 180 cells /mm3. His last viral count was 150,000 copies/mL. The patient is poorly compliant with antiviral therapy. Temperature is 39.4 C° (103 F°), pulse is 90/minute, respiratory rate 25/min, blood pressure is 120/70 mmHg, and oxygen saturation is 82% on room air. Physical examination shows diffuse lung crackles on auscultation. A CT scan of the chest is shown below. Which is the most likely causative organism for this patient’s condition?
 
Reproduced from Radiopedia

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Summary

Pneumocystis jirovecii sometimes referred to as Pneumocystis carinii, is a fungus known to cause a severe lung infection called Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP). PCP commonly affects individuals with weakened immune systems, such as people with HIV/AIDS, cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, or people taking immunosuppressive drugs. Symptoms of PCP can include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. Treatment typically involves antifungal medications, such as trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, pentamidine, or dapsone.