ABSTRACT
Thirty patients were immunocompromised [Group I] and ten were immunocompetent [Group II] as a control group. The diagnosis of pneumocystis carini pneumonia based mainly on detection of P. carini cysts in the respiratory secretions of the radiological findings were nonspecific and unreliable. The cysts were found in 46.7% of the immunocompromised patients by broncho-alveolar lavage [BAL], in 26.7 and 10% by sputum and pharyngeal swabbing, respectively. It is obvious that BAL, although being a difficult and invasive procedure, yet still be needed to either exclude or confirm the disease. However, it is advisable to be carried out in highly susceptible pediatric patients with negative sputum and pharyngeal smears for P. carinii cysts. From the present study, it could be concluded that P. carinii is a common causative agent of pneumonia in immunocompromised children mainly those with acute leukemias