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This is a retrospective review of patients admitted to an inner city community hospital with community-acquired pneumonia who were ultimately diagnosed with AIDS and Pneumocystis. Absolute lymphocyte count in our hospital is available immediately. In contrast, it can take 48 hours or longer to obtain more specific CD-4 counts and AIDS enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) serology. The association of lymphopenia with ultimate diagnosis of AIDS and Pneumocystis supports immediate empiric treatment for pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in our highly HIV prevalent hospital.