An Outbreak of Community-AcquiredPneumocystis cariniiPneumonia
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Overview
Case series demonstrates severe cellular immunodeficiency and high mortality in young homosexual men and drug abusers with pneumonia, highlighting an emerging acquired immune disorder.
Key Points
- To evaluate the clinical and immunologic characteristics of young men presenting with unexplained community-acquired Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
- Clinical and immunologic evaluation of 11 young men (7 drug abusers, 6 homosexuals, 2 both) presenting with community-acquired Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia between 1979 and 1981.
- Laboratory testing of immune parameters, including absolute lymphocyte counts, T-cell counts, lymphocyte proliferation, and humoral immunity.
- All patients demonstrated markedly depressed absolute lymphocyte counts, T-cell counts, and lymphocyte proliferation assays, whereas humoral immunity remained intact.
- Eight of the 11 patients died, with one patient diagnosed with Kaposi's sarcoma and another with angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy, while surviving patients showed persistent immune defects.
Cite This Study
Masur et al. (1981) studied this question.