Human immunodeficiency virus ; HIV ; Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome ; Opportunistic infections
Abstract
Opportunistic infections (OIs) are defined as infections that are more frequent or more severe because of immunosuppression in HIV-infected persons. Before the widespread use of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), OIs were the major cause of morbidity and mortality of HIV-infected persons. Although hospitalizations and deaths have decreased since the implementation of ART, OIs remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected persons. The frequent OIs in HIV-infected persons are tuberculosis, Pneumocystis pneumonia, candidiasis, Cytomegalovirus infection, toxoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and so on. The aim of the present review is to provide a brief introduction on clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of common OIs in HIV-infected persons.