Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia

[nursing.mypassion]

Practicing NCLEX-RN:

How come Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia only requires standard precaution? I thought all pneumonia requires droplet precautions? (remember SPIDERMAN mnemonics for droplet precautions?)

I did a search on Google on the mode of transmission of Pneumocystic Jiroveci but couldn't locate a satisfactory answer and a trustworthy source. Any help would be greatly appreciated :)

[euphoria02]

Hi there. I think it's because PCP is not really a grave type of Pneumonia unless you are really immunodepressed. I have read somewhere that like E.Coli, there are already some PCP within bodies of healthy individuals and that the time signs and symptoms is when the body's defense get overwhelmed with it such as in HIV case. So you dont need droplet precautions because you yourself have PCP. You are the threat to the immunodepressed client and not the other way around.

I hope it helps. :)