Pneumocystis is widespread in nature and rarely causes disease except in people such as those with AIDS who have a severe impairment of their immune system. Pneumocystis infection is not passed from one person to another. People with Pneumocystis lung infection usually develop a dry cough, fevers, sweats, weight loss and breathlessness. It usually comes on slowly over a period of one month although it can develop more rapidly in more severe cases. Patients with this infection will often need to be admitted to hospital for treatment.
Antibiotics are usually effective.
Because people with HIV are at high risk of contracting this infection, it is now common practice to give regular preventive antibiotics to stop the development of Pneumocystis infection. Patients with AIDS are unusually susceptible to the bacteria that can cause pneumonia in otherwise healthy people. The symptoms are the same as those in people who do not have AIDS and include fever, cough, breathlessness and pleurisy. The antibiotics used will depend on the type of bacteria causing the infection. These will need to be given in hospital in the more severe cases.