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Pneumocystis pneumonia in children receiving chemotherapy
Author(s) -
Prasad Pinki,
Nania Joseph J.,
Shankar Sadhna M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.21202
Subject(s) - medicine , pentamidine , dapsone , chemotherapy , pneumonia , immunosuppression , trimethoprim , pneumocystis carinii , complication , sulfamethoxazole , cancer chemotherapy , pediatrics , blood cancer , pneumocystis pneumonia , chemoprophylaxis , surgery , cancer , antibiotics , pneumocystis jirovecii , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a serious complication of chemotherapy‐induced immunosuppression. Trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole (TMP‐SMZ) given twice daily, 3 days every week is considered the best form of prophylaxis for PCP. We evaluated PCP prophylaxis in all children up to 18 years of age undergoing cancer chemotherapy over a 2‐year period. Four children were diagnosed with PCP over 24 months. Two of 12 children on intravenous pentamidine, 1 of 143 on TMP‐SMZ and 1 of 36 on dapsone for PCP prophylaxis developed PCP. Intravenous pentamidine may not be as effective as previously considered and should be used with caution. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:896–898. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.