Pneumocystis jirovecii
Pneumocystis jirovecii
Pneumocystis jirovecii (pronounced: new-mo-sis-tis ji-ro-ve-see-eye) is a yeast-like fungus that causes Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), a severe lung infection, especially in people with weakened immune systems.
Etymology
The organism was named in honor of Czech parasitologist Otto Jirovec, who first identified it in the lungs of babies who died from premature birth and malnutrition during World War II. The species name "jirovecii" was proposed in 1976 to distinguish the human pathogen from other species in the genus Pneumocystis.
Related Terms
- Pneumocystis carinii: A closely related species that primarily infects rats.
- Pneumocystis pneumonia: A form of pneumonia caused by P. jirovecii.
- Opportunistic infection: An infection that occurs more frequently or is more severe in people with weakened immune systems.
- Immunocompromised: A state in which the immune system is not functioning normally and is therefore unable to fight off infections and diseases.
- Prophylaxis: Measures taken to prevent diseases.
- Antifungal: A medication used to treat fungal infections.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Pneumocystis jirovecii
- Wikipedia's article - Pneumocystis jirovecii
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