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Late-onset and atypical presentation of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in a renal transplant recipient

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Abstract

Pneumocystis jivorecii (formerly known as carinii) pneumonia (PCP) is potentially a life-threatening opportunistic infection after organ transplantation, occurring most frequently in the first 12 months, where the incidence rate is several-fold higher than in later years. PCP typically presents with fever, cough, dyspnoea and hypoxia. In organ transplant recipients, the onset of symptoms is generally more fulminant compared to patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. We present a patient who developed PCP five years after a renal transplantation. His presentation was characterised by atypical symptoms and an indolent onset. Previous acute vascular rejection, ongoing maintenance prednisolone usage, cytomegalovirus seropositivity and past tuberculous infection may have predisposed this patient to PCP.

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Conflict of intrest statement

No conflict of interest or financial support to declare by all authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nephrology and Transplantation Services, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    Jordan Y. Z. Li & P. Toby H. Coates

  2. Department of Endocrinology, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    Tuck Y. Yong

  3. Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    David I. Grove

  4. University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    David I. Grove & P. Toby H. Coates

  5. Department of Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders Drive, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia, 5042, Australia

    Jordan Y. Z. Li

Authors
  1. Jordan Y. Z. Li
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  2. Tuck Y. Yong
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  3. David I. Grove
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  4. P. Toby H. Coates
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Correspondence to Jordan Y. Z. Li.

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Li, J.Y.Z., Yong, T.Y., Grove, D.I. et al. Late-onset and atypical presentation of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in a renal transplant recipient. Clin Exp Nephrol 13, 92–95 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10157-008-0079-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10157-008-0079-9

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