AIDS patients may have a longer incubation period, averaging forty days. The disease may be accompanied by weight loss, malaise, diarrhea, a nonproductive cough, progressive dyspnea and a low grade fever. In other immunocompromised patients the onset may be subtle with an average incubation period of two months. Clinical findings may not be remarkably abnormal except for a non productive cough which may progress to more severe respiratory distress. Extrapulmonary infection by P. carinii is now more frequently recognized and the organism may be isolated from lymph nodes, spleen, liver, bone marrow and most major organs.
Effective treatment is available including cotrimoxazole and pentamidine.
Appropriate collection of specimens and sensitive diagnostic laboratory testing is very important because it allows early detection and treatment and therefore decreased morbidity and mortality.