LEGIONELLA AND PNEUMOCYSTIS PNEUMONIAS IN ASTHMATIC-CHILDREN ON HIGH-DOSES OF SYSTEMIC STEROIDS

Asthma is increasingly treated as an inflammatory disease with inhaled and/or systemic corticosteroids. We report 3 cases of unusual pneumon ias associated with high doses of oral steroids. Two patients contract ed Legionella pneumonia and one patient contracted Pneumocystis carini i pneumonia. With increasing usage, it is important for physicians to be aware of the possible infectious complications of high dose steroid s. This report highlights the risk of corticosteroid treatment in asth ma in predisposing to opportunistic infections that have not heretofor e been readily associated with asthma. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.