Cotrimoxazole Is generally used to manage Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in children receiving chemotherapy

摘要

Paediatric patients undergoing chemotherapy are at risk of developing Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) and should receive PCP prophylaxis. Cotrimoxazole (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) is the drug of choice for prophylaxis and treatment.Pneumocystis jiroveci (formerly carinii) pneumonia (PCP) is a serious opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients, such as those with HIV infections. Although PCP occurs infrequently among patients without HIV, it is the most common cause of mortality during treatment with multiagent chemotherapy in children with leukaemia in remission.Knowledge regarding the transmission and pathogen reservoir of P. jiroveci is limited; however, respiratory transmission is suspected. Infection with P. jiroveci occurs early in life, with serological studies indicating that a high proportion of healthy individuals have been infected by the age of 2 years. Immunocompetent hosts with P. jiroveci infection are likely to remain asymptomatic and acute infection in these individuals is not associated with defined clinical symptoms.