Pneumonia associated withinfection withpneumocystis, respira- torysyncytial virus, chlamydia, mycoplasma, andcytomegalovirus inchildren inPapuaNewGuinea

Paired serum samples were collected from94children with pneumonia admitted toGorokaHospital, PapuaNewGuinea. Allbutthree ofthechildren were aged1-24months. Onlynine chn'-"'re malnourished, withweight for age less than70%of theHarvara lnedian (three hadweight for ageless than60%ofthe Harvard median). Pneumocystis carinii antigen was detected in theserum of23children. Twentytwochildren hadserological evidence ofrecentinfection withrespiratory syncytial virus. Five children were probably infected withChlamydia trachomatis at thetimeofthestudy, andthere was less convincing serological evidence ofcurrentinfection ina further 11 children. Five children showeda fourfold riseinantibody toMycoplasma pneumoniae. Although only one child showed afourfold rise in antibody tocytomegalovirus, 86children hadthis antibody. No child showed a fourfold rise inantibody toUreaplasma urealyticum orLegionella pneumophila. Pcarinii, respiratory syncytial virus, Ctrachomatis, M pneumoniae, andcytomegalovirus may beimportant causesofpneumoniainchildren indeveloping countries.