Caspofungin as Salvage Therapy for Pneumocystis Pneumonia in a Heart Transplant Recipient

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a common opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients. In general, clinical response to therapy with cotrimoxazole is excellent. However, therapy may be limited by side effects or treatment failure. We present a case of PCP in a 35-year-old male patient with history of heart transplantation and renal failure who was admitted with a 10-day history of fever, nonproductive cough and elevated level of creatinine with a diagnosis of PCP confirmed by chest radiography and in bronchoalveolar lavage specimens. He was treated with trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (SMZ/TMP) and primaquine but treatment was completed with reduced dosage of cotrimoxazole, primaquine and with the addition of caspofungin. This therapy was effective and without any adverse effects in a patient with elevated level of creatinine.