Parasitol Today. 1987 Nov;3(11):332-5. doi: 10.1016/0169-4758(87)90116-5.
Parasitology today (Personal ed.)
W T Hughes
PMID: 15462879 DOI: 10.1016/0169-4758(87)90116-5
Without treatment, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis is almost always fatal in the immunocompromised host. Here, Walter Hughes discusses proven and potential treatments, and methods of chemoprophylaxis in high-risk patients. Two drugs, pentamidine isethionate and trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole, are equally effective therapeutically - permitting the recovery of approximately 75% of patients - but the latter drug combination is preferred because of its lower toxicity and fewer adverse effects. The pneumonitis can be prevented by prophylactic administration of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Other drugs with proven efficacy or under study include Fansidar, dapsone, trimetrexate and difluoromethylornithine.
