Which type of protozoa that cause pneumonia?
Pneumocystis pneumonia is caused by Pneumocystis carinii. Although the organism is usually considered a protozoan, there is biochemical evidence that it may be a fungus.
What are some differential diagnosis for pneumonia?
Differential Diagnosis of Pneumonia
| Disease | Findings |
|---|---|
| Asthma | Past medical history, no infiltrates seen on chest X-ray. |
| Bronchiolitis obliterans | Should be suspected in patients with pneumonia who do not respond to antibiotics treatment. |
| Congestive heart failure | Bilateral pulmonary edema, shortness of breath. |
What is a hallmark finding on chest imaging for pneumocystis pneumonia?
The hallmark finding of PCP on HRCT scans is diffuse ground-glass opacity (GGO), which reflects the accumulation of intra-alveolar fibrin, debris, and organisms.
What is the most consistent clinical manifestation of pneumonia?
The presence of cough, particularly cough productive of sputum, is the most consistent presenting symptom.
What parasite causes pneumonia?
In USA, Toxoplasma gondii pneumonia is observed most frequently in acquired-immunodeficiency-syndrome (AIDS) patients.
Which protozoa causes kala azar?
Leishmania species
Leishmaniasis is caused by a protozoa parasite from over 20 Leishmania species. Over 90 sandfly species are known to transmit Leishmania parasites. There are 3 main forms of the disease: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar is fatal if left untreated in over 95% of cases.
What is the differential diagnosis of atypical pneumonia?
Differential Diagnosis The upper respiratory system includes pharyngitis, sinusitis and more emergent conditions such as epiglottitis and retropharyngeal abscess. For the lower respiratory tree, a chest x-ray will differentiate bronchitis/bronchiolitis versus pneumonia.
How is pneumocystis pneumonia diagnosed?
PCP is diagnosed using a sample from a patient’s lungs. The sample is usually mucus that is either coughed up by the patient (called sputum) or collected by a procedure called bronchoalveolar lavage. Sometimes, a small sample of lung tissue (a biopsy) is used to diagnose PCP.