Treatment and Prevention of Opportunistic Infections in HIV-Infected Patients

Sun-Hee Lee

doi:10.5124/jkma.2007.50.4.324

J Korean Med Assoc > Volume 50(4); 2007 > Article

Lee: Treatment and Prevention of Opportunistic Infections in HIV-Infected Patients

Focused Issue of This Month

HIV/AIDS

Journal of the Korean Medical Association

Journal of the Korean Medical Association 2007; 50(4): 324-329.

Published online: April 30, 2007

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2007.50.4.324

Treatment and Prevention of Opportunistic Infections in HIV-Infected Patients

Sun-Hee Lee, MD

Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Korea. mdssampak@yahoo.co.kr

Abstract

Opportunistic infections (OIs) are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected patients. The incidences of many OIs are decreasing because of advances in HIV-related therapy. These decreases have been attributed to successful OI prophylaxis and the use of potent antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART has reduced the incidence of OIs and has extended the patients' life expectancy substantially. ART is the most effective approach to prevent OIs. However, HIV-infected patients continue to develop OIs. This occurs because many patients unaware of their HIV status until they present with an OI, and also because certain patients seek medical attention at a later stage during the course of disease. OIs also still occur after the patient has started ART, in the setting of treatment failure or immune reconstitution syndrome. Therefore, OIs will continue to cause substantial morbidity and mortality in patients with HIV infection, even among persons who are receiving ART. In this review, we focus on primary and secondary prophylaxis as well as the treatment of the most frequent OIs in HIV-infected patients.

HIV; Opportunistic infection; Treatment; Prophylaxis

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