| Candidiasis |
| Also known as: |
Thrush |
| Caused by: |
Candida albicans (fungus) |
| May Affect: |
Mouth, esophagus (throat), gut, anus, vagina, skin (rashes)
|
| Symptoms: |
Oral thrush causes loss of taste and appetite, dry mouth;
esophageal causes dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). |
| Clinical Comments |
A diagnosis of thrush doesn't mean that the patient has AIDS,
but may suggest that the virus is progressing. T-cell range:
Under 350 |
| Cryptosporidium enteritis |
| Also known as: |
Crytosporidiosis |
| Caused by: |
Cryptosporidium (parasite) |
| May Affect: |
Gastrointestinal tract (colon) |
| Symptoms: |
Watery diarrhea several times a day; abdominal cramping;
nausea; malaise (general ill feeling); malnutrition and weight
loss |
| Clinical Comments |
No reliable treatment exist for treatment, the best approach
is to improve the immune status of the individual in addition
to supportive treatment for symptoms. |
| Cryptococcal Meningitis |
| Also known as: |
|
| Caused by: |
Cryptococcus neoformans (fungus/yeast) |
| May Affect: |
Brain |
| Symptoms: |
Fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, confusion, sensitivity
to light |
| Clinical Comments |
In order to diagnosis cryptococcal meningitis a lumbar puncture
(spinal tap) must be performed. T-cell range: Under 100 |
| Cytomegalovirus |
| Also known as: |
CMV |
| Caused by: |
Cytomegalovirus (herpes-like virus) |
| May Affect: |
Eyes (Retinitis), Brain, Lungs (Pneumonia), Gut (Gastroenteritis)
|
| Symptoms: |
Blindness, confusion, dyspnea (difficult or labored breathing),
ulcers, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fevers |
| Clinical Comments |
CMV is a common infection, but causes significant complications
among people that have immune suppression and lifetime maintenance
may be required. T-cell range: Under 50 |
| Dementia and Nervous System Problems |
| Also known as: |
AIDS Dementia Complex |
| Caused by: |
Advanced HIV infection |
| May Affect: |
Brain |
| Symptoms: |
Loss of memory, affect, coordination, hallucinations, insomnia,
personality changes |
| Clinical Comments |
Diagnostic of AIDS even if no concurrent infection. T-cell
range: Under 100 |
| Herpes Zoster |
| Also known as: |
Shingles |
| Caused by: |
Herpes simplex Type I or II (virus) |
| May Affect: |
Mouth, skin, lungs, gastrointestinal tract (colon), brain,
anal or genital areas |
| Symptoms: |
Pain, skin lesions, confusion |
| Clinical Comments |
HIV does not cause shingles, but more frequent/severe herpes
outbreaks are likely among individuals with HIV. T-cell range:
Under 350 |
| Human Papillomavirus |
| Also known as: |
HPV; Genital Warts |
| Caused by: |
Human papillomaviruses (virus) |
| May Affect: |
Genitals |
| Symptoms: |
Raised flesh-colored lesions on the genitals, anus, or surrounding
skin; cauliflower-like growth around the anus or genitals; increased
dampness or moisture in the area of growths; itching; increased
vaginal discharge; abnormal vaginal bleeding; dysplasia (abnormal
changes in the cell lining of the cervix). |
| Clinical Comments |
There is a strong link between anal and cervical cancer.
|
| Kaposi's Sarcoma |
| Also known as: |
KS |
| Caused by: |
Human Herpesvirus - 8 (HHV-8) |
| May Affect: |
Skin, mouth, many internal organs (lungs, liver, brain, gut)
|
| Symptoms: |
None at all, or dyspnea (difficult or labored breathing),
abdominal pain, or visible bluish-red lesions. |
| Clinical Comments |
Reoccurrence can occur even after apparent successful treatment.
|
| AIDS-related Lymphoma |
| Also known as: |
Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma |
| Caused by: |
Cancer (malignant) cells in the lymph system. |
| May Affect: |
Liver, bone marrow, brain, spleen, lymph nodes |
| Symptoms: |
AIDS-related lymphoma usually grows faster and spreads outside
the lymph nodes and to other parts of the body more often than
lymphoma that is not related to AIDS. Because therapy can damage
weak immune systems even further, patients who have AIDS-related
lymphoma are generally treated with lower doses of drugs than
patients who do not have AIDS. |
| Clinical Comments |
A diagnosis of thrush doesn't mean that the patient has AIDS,
but may suggest that the virus is progressing. |
| Molluscum |
| Also known as: |
|
| Caused by: |
Molluscipoxvirus Molluscum contagiosum |
| May Affect: |
Skin |
| Symptoms: |
Raised painless skins lesions found on the genitals, abdomen,
or inner thigh of adults. |
| Clinical Comments |
In people diagnosed with AIDS a rapid worsening case of molluscum
may form. |
| Mycobacterium Avium Complex |
| Also known as: |
MAC or MAI |
| Caused by: |
Mycobacterium avium intracellulare (mycobacterium) |
| May Affect: |
Lungs, bone marrow, liver, intestine, brain, skin, usually
disseminated in the blood |
| Symptoms: |
Severe fever, chills, bone and/or abdominal pain, weight
loss, weakness, anemia, night sweats |
| Clinical Comments |
Similar to Tuberculosis but is not contagious, T-cell range:
Under 75 |
| Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia |
| Also known as: |
PCP |
| Caused by: |
Pneumocystis carinii (fungus) |
| May Affect: |
Lungs (pneumonia) |
| Symptoms: |
Cough, fever, shortness of breath, difficult or labored breath
|
| Clinical Comments |
This fatal pneumonia is frequently prevented with a prophylaxis
(preventive medicine) once a person is diagnosed with AIDS.
T-cell range: Under 200 |
| Progressive Multifocal Leucoencephalopathy
|
| Also known as: |
PML |
| Caused by: |
JC virus |
| May Affect: |
Brain |
| Symptoms: |
Loss of coordination, clumsiness, memory loss, progressively
worsening of the legs, and to a lesser extent the arms;
Aphasia (impairment of speech), visual field defects, and headaches |
| Clinical Comments |
T-cell range: Under 100 |
| Toxoplasmosis |
| Also known as: |
Toxo |
| Caused by: |
Toxoplasma gondii (protozoan) |
| May Affect: |
Brain (Encephalitis -inflammation of the brain), eyes (Retinitis
- inflammation of the retina), heart, or liver |
| Symptoms: |
Enlarged lymph nodes in the head and neck, headache, sore
throat, muscle pain, blurred vision, seizures, stroke-like symptoms
|
| Clinical Comments |
Lifelong maintenance required. T-cell range: Under 100 |
| Tuberculosis |
| Also known as: |
TB; Consumption |
| Caused by: |
Mycobacterium tuberculosis |
| May Affect: |
Lungs, bone marrow, liver, intestine, brain |
| Symptoms: |
Severe fever, chills, bone and/or abdominal pain, weight
loss, weakness, coughing up blood, night sweats |
| Clinical Comments |
Without the aid of an active immune system, treatment is
more difficult and the disease is more resistant to therapy.
T-cell range: Under 350 |
| AIDS Wasting Syndrome |
| Also known as: |
Wasting Syndrome |
| Caused by: |
Advanced HIV infection |
| May Affect: |
Body |
| Symptoms: |
Extreme weight loss and anorexia; chronic diarrhea, weakness,
fever |
| Clinical Comments |
T-cell range: Under 100 |
In addition to the above-mentioned opportunistic infections, which
occur because of a weakened immune system, the following are perceived
results of advanced HIV infection.
| Organ |
Symptoms |
| Skin |
Eczema, Seborrhea (increased oily skin), fungus infections,
Folliculitis (inflammation of hair follicles), Shingles |
| Mouth and Throat |
Hairy leukoplakia (immovable white patch of mucous membrane.),
apthous ulcers (canker sores.), gingivitis (inflammation of
the gums), periodonitis (disease that attacks gums and bone
around the tooth.) |
| Nose and Sinuses |
Frequent sinusitis that is mostly bacterial, occasionally
fungal |
| Heart |
Cardiomyopathy (deterioration of the heart muscle) |
Gastrointestinal tract (colon) |
Poor nutrient absorption, wasting, esophageal ulceration,
liver or gallbladder involvement. |
| Lungs |
Frequent/recurrent bacterial infections |
| Bone marrow (connective tissue inside the bones)
|
Anemia, thrombocytopenia (low counts of blood platelets),
and/or neutropenia (low counts of a specific white blood cell).
|
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