Pulmonary Infections in Autopsied Patients with Adult T Cell Leukemia

Pulmonary complications in 132 patients with adult T cell leukemia (ATL) autopsied in Kagoshima prefecture from 1975 to 1989 were studied histopathologically. By the study the following results were obtained: 1) In 101 (76.5%) out of 132 patients, pulmonary infections were recognized. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia was detected in 44 out of the patients, Pneumocystis carinii (P. carinii) pneumonia in 23, cryptococcal pneumonia in 9, other fungal pneumonia in 30 was found. 2) Infections in more than 3 organs including the lung were seen in 25 of them (18.9%). CMV infections were seen in 16 patients, candidiasis in 5 patients, crytococcosis in 3, and aspergillosis in 2. 3) An increased number of patients with P. carinii pneumonia seen at the beginning of this study has been reduced by the introduction of the oral administration of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.