Patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are at increased risk for pneumothorax, which usually occurs in the setting of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. The rationale of the present study was based on the hypothesis that the increased incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients could favour the development of pneumothorax in such pa...

Because Pneumocystis carinii may be related to fungi, we evaluated the reactivities of monoclonal antibodies raised against P. carinii with a variety of fungi. Fifty-two fungi and six protozoa were evaluated by immunofluorescence. One of three monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) tested (MAb 7D7) reacted with 15 fungi but no protozoa. Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed the strongest reactivity by immunofl...

Once regarded as an AIDS-defining illness, Pneumocystis pneumonia (PcP) is nowadays prevailing in immunocompromised HIV-negative individuals such as patients receiving immunosuppressive therapies or affected by primary immunodeficiency. Moreover, Pneumocystis clinical spectrum is broadening to non-severely-immunocompromised subjects who could be colonized by the fungus while remaining asymptoma...

lar blood products. The guidelines also recommend that Toxoplasma-seropositive HIV-infected persons who have a CD4+ lymphocyte count <100 cells/μL received chemoprophylaxis against toxoplasmosis (such chemoprophylaxis is generally accomplished with anti-Pneumocystis carinii medication). Earlier recommendations for chemoprophylaxis against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and Mycobacterium avium c...

To investigate the phylogenetic and therapeutic implications of the genetic divergence in the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) genes among different Pneumocystis carinii strains, these 2 genes in P. carinii obtained from 7 different host species were sequenced. Pairwise comparison of the DHPS sequences demonstrated 6%-24% and 6%-30% divergence in the nucleotide...

A repetitive genomic DNA clone (B12-2) that specifically hybridizes to Pneumocystis carinii DNA has been identified. No cross-hybridization to genomic DNA prepared from bacteria, other fungi, protozoa, or mammals was observed. Clone B12-2 is multiply represented in the P. carinii genome. By direct hybridization to DNA prepared from the lungs of immunosuppressed rats, the probe can detect the eq...

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis was prevented in 0, 50, 100, and 100% of immunosuppressed rats given doses of 0.5, 5.0, 25.0, and 125.0 mg/kg (body weight) per day, respectively, of 4,4'-sulfonylbisformanilide (DFD). Therapeutic efficacy was demonstrated with DFD at 25.0 mg/kg per day, and when this dose was combined with trimethoprim, the combination was as effective as trimethoprim-sulfameth...

Two sources of rats free of latent Pneumocystis carinii are described. First, rats from a virus-free colony failed to develop infection after 8 weeks of immune suppression unless they were housed with previously infected rats. Second, pregnant rats (non-virus free) received trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole from day 10 of gestation until the pups were weaned. Pups raised in filter-topped cages and ...

Clinical and pathological findings are described in two AIDS patients with Pneumocystis carinii infection who received prophylactic treatment with nebulised pentamidine and developed unusual hepatic and renal failure. Histological examination showed clumps of P carinii massively obstructing hepatic sinuses and portal vessels in the first patient, and merular and intertubular capillaries in the ...

SUMMARY In this research, which was done for two years, we investigated various liquid and solid media without feeder ceells, for the ability to support growth of P. carinii. Data obtained from counting the organisms nuclei showed that, addition of Cyclo­heximide, penicillin, & streptomycin to neopeptone­N-Acetyle Glucoseamine (N.P.G. medium) can provides growth requirements of organism in its...