Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in a HIV-seronegative patient with untreated rheumatoid arthritis and CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia

• Published in: The European respiratory journal Vol. 10; no. 5; pp. 1184 - 1186
• Main Authors: Prekates, A, Kyprianou, T, Paniara, O, Roussos, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Leeds Eur Respiratory Soc 01.05.1997; Maney
• Subjects: Aged; AIDS/HIV; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - complications; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy; Biological and medical sciences; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Fatal Outcome; Female; HIV Seronegativity; Humans; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Lymphopenia - complications; Lymphopenia - diagnosis; Medical sciences; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis - complications; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis - diagnosis; Human; Immunopathology; Lung disease; Protozoa; Pneumonia; Leukopenia; Respiratory disease; Pneumocystis carinii; Hemopathy; Parasitosis; Immune deficiency; Infection; Case study; Complication; Sporozoa; Lymphocytopenia
• ISSN: 0903-1936; 1399-3003
• DOI: 10.1183/09031936.97.10051184

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) usually occurs in immunocompromised patients, and it is a life-threatening infection. We report the case of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seronegative patient with untreated rheumatoid arthritis (RA), who developed fatal PCP related to uncommon CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia. Although extremely rare and of uncertain aetiology, suppression of cellular immunity and subsequent opportunistic infections should be suspected in such patients.