Medical Dictionary
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
noun Pneumocystis ca·ri·nii pneumonia \-kə-ˈrī-nē-ˌē-\
Medical Definition of PNEUMOCYSTIS CARINII PNEUMONIA
: a pneumonia chiefly affecting immunocompromised individuals that is caused by a microorganism of the genus Pneumocystis (P. carinii) which shows up in specially stained preparations of fresh infected lung tissue as cysts containing six to eight oval bodies, that attacks especially the interstitial and alveolar tissues of the lungs, and that is characterized especially by a nonproductive cough, shortness of breath, and fever—abbreviation PCP; called also pneumocystic pneumonia, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis
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