Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: A report from the multi-international clinical trial AIEOP-BFM ALL 2009

Abstract

Pneumocystis jirovecii can cause life-threatening pneumonia (PjP), and patients with haematological malignancies are at high risk of this infection. Prophylactic measures have significantly decreased morbidity and mortality, but there is a paucity of contemporary data on the incidence and clinical course of PjP in well-defined and homogenous patient populations, such as children suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). In the multi-international trial AIEOP-BFM ALL2009, PjP was diagnosed in six children (incidence 1/1000) and was associated with insufficient prophylaxis in five of them. Although none of the patients died of PjP, the long-term impact of the infection is unclear.

Keywords: Pneumocystis jirovecii; acute lymphoblastic leukaemia; child; prophylaxis; therapy.