Lower Respiratory Tract Infections (LRTIs) are important causes of morbidity and mortality for all age groups both in the hospital as well as in the community. Though international guidelines are available for treating bacterial LRTI they have not been validated very much in the Indian scenario. Scarce local information is available regarding aetiological agents of LRTI and their antibiotic sensitivity pattern. Pneumocystis carinii (Jiroveci) is a common pathogen in LRTI in immuno-compromised

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... tients. It is rarely documented in our country. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two hundred adults suffering from LRTI of less than 2 weeks duration from both inpatient and outpatient departments in a Tertiary Care Hospital at Kolkata were included in the study after taking valid informed consent. Study period was one year . Sputum samples were collected as per criteria of Murray et al. 1975. After performing routine culture, diagnosis was made based on colony character and biochemical reactions. Antimicrobial sensitivity testing was then done according to CLSI guidelines.