PNEUMOCYSTIS JIROVECII PNEUMONIA: PREVALENCE IN HOSPITALISED PATIENTS, A STUDY CONDUCTED IN A TERTIARY CENTRE IN PUNJAB

BACKGROUND Pneumocystis jirovecii is a pathogen causing a life-threatening infection, Pneumocystis Pneumonia (PCP) in T helper cell deficient hosts. METHODS A retrospective analysis was done from 6th April 2012 to 11th September 2015. The clinical data of the positive patients for PCP by Silver Methenamine Staining of the samples were collected. CD4 counts were done for the HIV positive patients. RESULTS A total of 486 samples were sent to the Microbiology Lab during this period for Silver Methenamine Staining. Among the patients, 13 (35.15%) were diagnosed cases of HIV; 9 were Stage IV AIDS and all of these patients had CD4 counts less than 200/µL. Fungal pneumonia was found to be a significant comorbidity in these patients and is of particular significance due to the diagnostic dilemma it can cause, since the radiological and physiological changes in both fungal and pneumocystis pneumonia are similar. CONCLUSION