Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia diagnosed from sputum and successfully treated with pentamidine isethionate

A patient with leukemic lymphosarcoma in partial remission gradually developed dyspnea and patchy lung infiltrates. Pneumocystis carinii organisms were demonstrated on sputum smears the pneumonia resolved rapidly during pentamidine therapy. With reactivation of the leukemia, death ensued, and at postmortem examination, pneumocystis organisms could not be demonstrated in searl sections of the previously involved lung.