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Pneumonia por Pneumocystis jirovecii

Last reviewed: 13 Nov 2025
Last updated: 19 Nov 2024

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV)-positivo
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • candidíase orofaríngea
  • pneumonia bacteriana recorrente
  • perda de peso
  • duração prolongada dos sintomas (pacientes HIV-positivos)
  • início rápido dos sintomas (pacientes HIV-negativos)
  • febre
  • tosse seca
  • dispneia
  • fadiga
  • exame normal do tórax
  • taquicardia
  • taquipneia ou dificuldade respiratória
  • cianose
  • manifestações extrapulmonares
  • dor torácica pleurítica
  • murmúrio vesicular unilateral diminuído
Full details

Risk factors

  • contagem de células CD4 abaixo de 200 células/microlitro
  • pacientes imunocomprometidos
  • corticoterapia crônica
  • pneumonia por Pneumocystis anterior
Full details

Diagnostic investigations

1st investigations to order

  • radiografia torácica
  • gasometria arterial
  • nível de lactato desidrogenase (LDH) sérica
  • escarro induzido
Full details

Investigations to consider

  • tomografia computadorizada de alta resolução (TCAR) do tórax
  • teste de função pulmonar
  • broncoscopia e lavagem broncoalveolar (LBA)
  • biópsia
Full details

Emerging tests

  • reação em cadeia da polimerase
  • nível de S-adenosilmetionina no plasma
  • nível de (1,3)-beta-D-glicano sérico

Treatment algorithm

INITIAL

risco elevado de infecção por pneumonia por Pneumocystis (PPC)

ACUTE

adultos ou adolescentes: HIV-positivo

crianças: HIV-positivas ou sob risco de HIV

adultos ou adolescentes imunocomprometidos: HIV-negativos e não receptores de transplante de órgão sólido

adultos, adolescentes ou crianças imunocomprometidos: HIV-negativos e receptores de transplante de órgão sólido

ONGOING

tratamento da infecção por pneumonia por Pneumocystis (PPC) concluído com sucesso

Contributors

Authors

Alison Morris, MD, MS
Alison Morris

Professor of Medicine

Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

PA

Disclosures

AM is an author of a number of references cited in this topic.

Ioannis Konstantinidis, MD, MS

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

PA

Disclosures

IK declares that he has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

Dr Alison Morris and Dr Ioannis Konstantinidis would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Eric Nolley and Dr Matthew Gingo, previous contributors to this topic.

Disclosures

EN and MG declare that they have no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Peter D. Walzer, MD, MSc

Associate Chief of Staff for Research

Cincinnati VA Medical Center

Professor of Medicine

University of Cincinnati

Cincinnati

OH

Disclosures

PDW declares that he has no competing interests.

David Spencer, MBChB(UCT), MMed (Wits)

Specialist Physician and Consultant

Toga Laboratory and Kimera Consultants

Edenvale

Johannesburg

South Africa

Disclosures

DS declares that he has no competing interests.

Graeme Meintjes, MBChB, MRCP, FCP, DipHIVMan

Infectious Diseases Physician

Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine

Faculty of Health Sciences

University of Cape Town

Observatory

South Africa

Disclosures

GM declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

Palella FJ, Delaney KM, Moorman FC, et al. Declining morbidity and mortality among patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus infection. N Engl J Med. 1998 Mar 26;338(13):853-60.Full text  Abstract

National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HIV Medicine Association of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, and American Academy of Pediatrics. Panel on Opportunistic Infections in Children with and Exposed to HIV. Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections in children with and exposed to HIV: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia. Nov 2013 [internet publication].Full text

National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HIV Medicine Association, and Infectious Diseases Society of America. Panel on Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV. Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections in adults and adolescents with HIV. Pneumocystis pneumonia. Sep 2024 [internet publication].Full text

Taplitz RA, Kennedy EB, Bow EJ, et al. Antimicrobial prophylaxis for adult patients with cancer-related immunosuppression: ASCO and IDSA clinical practice guideline update. J Clin Oncol. 2018 Oct 20;36(30):3043-54.Full text  Abstract

Tomblyn M, Chiller T, Einsele H, et al. Guidelines for preventing infectious complications among hematopoietic cell transplantation recipients: a global perspective. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2009 Oct;15(10):1143-238.Full text  Abstract

Fishman JA, Gans H, AST Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Pneumocystis jiroveci in solid organ transplantation: guidelines from the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Clin Transplant. 2019 Sep;33(9):e13587. Abstract

Limper AH, Knox KS, Sarosi GA, et al. An official American Thoracic Society statement: treatment of fungal infections in adult pulmonary and critical care patients. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011 Jan 1;183(1):96-128.Full text  Abstract

Ewald H, Raatz H, Boscacci R, et al. Adjunctive corticosteroids for Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in patients with HIV infection. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Apr 2;(4):CD006150.Full text  Abstract

Cooley L, Dendle C, Wolf J, et al. Consensus guidelines for diagnosis, prophylaxis and management of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in patients with haematological and solid malignancies, 2014. Intern Med J. 2014 Dec;44(12b):1350-63.Full text  Abstract

Maertens J, Cesaro S, Maschmeyer G, et al. ECIL guidelines for preventing Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in patients with haematological malignancies and stem cell transplant recipients. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2016 Sep;71(9):2397-404.Full text  Abstract

Classen AY, Henze L, von Lilienfeld-Toal M, et al. Primary prophylaxis of bacterial infections and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in patients with hematologic malignancies and solid tumors: 2020 updated guidelines of the Infectious Diseases Working Party of the German Society of Hematology and Medical Oncology (AGIHO/DGHO). Ann Hematol. 2021 Jun;100(6):1603-20.Full text  Abstract

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
  • Pneumonia por Pneumocystis jirovecii images
  • Differentials

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  • Guidelines

    • Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections in adults and adolescents with HIV: pneumocystis pneumonia
    • Primary prophylaxis of bacterial infections and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in patients with hematologic malignancies and solid tumors
    More Guidelines
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