What is PCP infection?
Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a serious infection caused by the fungus Pneumocystis jirovecii. Most people who get PCP have a medical condition that weakens their immune system, like HIV/AIDS, or take medicines (such as corticosteroids) that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness.
How is PCP pneumonia treated?
Doctors usually treat PCP with two antibiotics, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, also known as TMP/SMX (Bactrim, Cotrim, Septra). Depending how sick you are, you’ll get them in pills to swallow or through a needle in your vein (by IV) at the hospital.
Which medication is used for PCP prophylaxis?
The agent most commonly used for prophylaxis is trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX). Other agents that have activity against Pneumocystis jirovecii include dapsone, pentamidine, atovaquone, pyrimethamine, sulfadoxine, and clindamycin and primaquine in combination.
What is PJP prophylaxis?
Prophylaxis for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is recommended for patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) or intensive chemotherapy. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and inhaled pentamidine are used frequently, but are limited, by their tolerability and therefore compliance.
How is PJP treated?
Treatment of PJP – General Considerations While officially classified as a fungal pneumonia, P jiroveci pneumonia (PJP) does not respond to antifungal treatment. The treatment of choice is TMP-SMX, with second-line agents including pentamidine, dapsone (often in combination with pyrimethamine), or atovaquone.
What fungus causes PJP?
Pneumocystis pneumonia is a type of infection of the lungs (pneumonia) in people with a weak immune system. It is caused by a yeast-like fungus called Pneumocystis jirovecii (PJP).
How long do you treat PJP?
The recommended duration of treatment for PJP is 21 days in patients with HIV infection and 14 days in all other patients. Patients infected with HIV tend to have a higher organism burden and respond to treatment slower than patients without HIV infection and therefore require a longer duration of therapy.
How is PJP pneumonia treated?
Standard Therapies. PJP infection can be serious, but many people can be treated at home with antibiotics such as Bactrim (trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole). There are also different alternative therapies such as atovaquone, dapsone, primaquine w/ clindamycin, and pentamidine.