Pneumocystis Jeroveci:

Ans. (b) Diagnosis is by sputum microscopy Ref. Harrison 19/e, p 1358; 18/e, 1671 Pnentnocnstis firoveci Human isolate of Pneumocystis which is associated with severe pneumonia in immunocompromised state paicularly AIDS (PcP). P. jiroveci is an extracellular pathogen. Growth in the lung is limited to surfactant layer above alveolar epithelium. Serologic evidence suggest that most individuals are infected in early childhood (thus option "c" is wrong) but the pneumonia is seen only in immunocompromised state. Diagnosis is made by detection of organism in proper specimen. Specimen for P. carnii pneumonia (PcP) Sputum: Quick and non invasive. Broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid: Mainstay of pneumocystis diagnosis. Transbronchial biopsy: If diagnosis cannot be made by BAL. The ove infection is an acute interstitial plasma cell pneumonia that occurs with high frequency among two groups: As epidemic of primary infection among premature or debititated or marasmic infant of hospital wards in underdeveloped countries. As sporadic cases among older children and adults who have an abnormal cellular immune status.