Opportunistic Infections in HIV
Topic Overview
Opportunistic infections and diseases occur in people whose immune systems have been weakened. They usually do not occur in people who have healthy immune systems. When the immune system is weakened by a disease such as HIV infection, opportunistic diseases may cause serious, even life-threatening, illnesses.
Opportunistic infections that are common in people who have AIDS include:
- Pneumocystispneumonia.
- Tuberculosis.
- Toxoplasmosis.
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV).
- Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC).
People who have AIDS are more likely to develop certain cancers, such as:
- Kaposi's sarcoma.
- Cancer of the lymphatic system (lymphoma).
- Cancer of the cervix.
Related Information
HIV: When Should I Start Taking Antiretroviral Medicines for HIV
Infection?
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection
- Medical History and Physical Exam for HIV Infection
- Nucleoside/Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors for HIV
- Protease Inhibitors (PIs) for HIV
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Peter Shalit, MD, PhD - Internal Medicine |
| Last Revised | April 5, 2012 |
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: April 5, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Peter Shalit, MD, PhD - Internal Medicine | |
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