Pneumocystis jirovec is a tiny fungus that lives in the lungs of many people. Most people's immune systems keep the fungus under control. But if your immune system is weak, the fungus can make you very sick.
The most common problem of infection is pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP). PCP once was the major cause of death for people with AIDS. But now, it is possible to prevent or treat most cases. The key to surviving PCP is early treatment. The first signs of PCP are difficulty breathing, fever and a dry cough. If you have these symptoms, see your doctor right away.
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Pneumocystis Pneumonia (PCP)(New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center) - http://www.aidsinfonet.org/fact_sheets/view/515?lang=eng
Also available in Spanish http://www.aidsinfonet.org/fact_sheets/view/515?lang=spa
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You Can Prevent PCP: A Guide for People with HIV Infection(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/brochures/pcpb.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/spanish/resources/brochures/pcpb.htm
- CD4 Count(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cd4/test.html
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pneumocystis Infections
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Pneumocystis+Infections%22
- Article: Outcome of HIV-associated Pneumocystis pneumonia in hospitalized patients from 2000... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18796158&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Molecular phylogeny of pneumocystis based on 5.8S rRNA gene and... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18785590&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Predictors of pneumocystosis or tuberculosis in HIV-infected Asian patients with... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18645508&tool=MedlinePlus
- Pneumocystis Infections -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(pneumocystis[majr]+OR+pneumocystis+infections+[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(editorial[pt]+OR+letter[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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AIDSinfo(Dept. of Health and Human Services) - http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/infoSIDA/
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
- Pneumocystis Pneumonia(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/lung/pneumocystis.html
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You Can Prevent PCP in Children: A Guide for People with HIV Infection(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/brochures/pcpkidz.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/spanish/resources/brochures/pcpkidz.htm
- AIDS - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/aids.html
- AIDS and Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/aidsandinfections.html
- Pneumonia - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pneumonia.html
- Immune System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/immunesystem.html
- Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infections.html
- Lungs and Breathing - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/lungsandbreathing.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Pneumocystis Infections is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www.niaid.nih.gov/