Apnea as an early sign of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in an HIV-negative infant

A few reports in the medical literature suggest an association between Pneu mocystis caring and apnea in small infants. This patient, a 1 month 20 days old, HIV negative, infant girl weighing 2,000 grams was admitted to hospit al after presenting a severe episode of apnea with cyanosis and bradicardia . She progressively developed bronchopneumonia by P. carinii that required prolonged mechanical ventilation with high ventilatory parameters. The clin ical course of this patients illustrates that apnea can be an early sign of P. carinii infection in small infants. Early diagnosis and specific therap y might prevent morbidity and mortality and also decrease the length of hos pitalization.