Pneumocystis

Abstract

The authors of "Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonitis in Young Immunocompetent Infants" (Pediatrics 66:56, 1980) are to be congratulated on the development of a rapid test for demonstrating circulating antigens of Pneumocystis carinii and its application to the problem of pneumonia in young infants. However, their statement "The findings of this prospective study clearly indicate, however, that P carinii is also etiologically linked to pneumonitis in young immunocompetent hosts without underlying illnesses" is open to challenge. The study infants were between 2 and 12 weeks of age.