ArticleDelcourt JN, Besson-Léaud M, Prat JJ, Lavaud J, Nézelof C.
Arch Fr Pediatr. 1979 Nov;36(9):873-84.
The availability of drugs that are active against Pneumocystis carinii has renewed interest in and underlined the difficulties of the early diagnosis pneumocystis pneumonia. A retrospective study of 33 cases was undertaken to define the optimal management. It is necessary to take into consideration the high mortality of the untreated condition and the risks of investigation and of treatment. Pneumocystis pneumonia affects only those patients who are immunologicaly incompetent, particularly those with defects of cellular immunity. Early symptoms are common but they are insidious. Indirect immunofluorescent tests were positive in 75% of our cases and were useful as screening tests. However it is necessary to identify the parasite (in our cases it was detected in 29 patients) and this requires invasive techniques such as lung puncture, lung biopsy or bronchial brushing. The best method for the rapid diagnosis of pneumocystis is endobronchial brushing, because it is simple, effect and has few complications.