Volume 18
Number 1 January 2012Begum T1 , Shahnaz S2
Abstract
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is an opportunistic infection that occurs in immuno-suppressed populations, primarily patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus infection. In 2002, taxonomists renamed the human species of pneucystis as P. jirovecii and recommended that P. carini be used only to describe the not species of pneumocystisl. Pneumocystis is commonly found in the lungs of healthy people. but being a source of opportunistic infection it can cause a lung infection in people with a weak immune system. Pneumocystis pneumonia is especially seen in people with cancer, HIV/AIDS and the use of medications that affect the immune system. The causal agent is known as P. jirovecii. Also the older name Pneumocystis carinii, (which now only applies to the Pncumocystis variant that occurs in animals), is still in common usage. As a result. Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is also known as Pneumocystis jirovec pneumonia and (incorrectly) as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
Keywords:
- Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology
- Professor and Head, Department of Microbiology