[Pneumocystis carinii today--40 years later]

Forty years ago Czech scientists, J. Vanĕk and O. Jírovec, diagnosed Pneumocystis carinii as the agent of interstitial plasmocytic pneumonia in weak infants. At present it is the most frequent pulmonary pathogenic organism in patients suffering from AIDS. In the submitted paper the author summarizes experience and recent findings on the aetiopathogenesis, pathology, clinical picture, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pneumocystis pneumonia.