What are opportunistic infections?

Opportunistic infections (OIs) are infections that occur more frequently and are more severe in people with weakened immune systems, including people with HIV.

What are opportunistic infections as they relate to HIV infection give several examples?

Key Points

• Opportunistic infections (OIs) are infections that occur more often or are more severe in people with weakened immune systems than in people with healthy immune systems.
• HIV damages the immune system.
• HIV-related OIs include pneumonia, Salmonella infection, candidiasis, toxoplasmosis, and tuberculosis (TB).

What infections are common with HIV?

Infections common to HIV/AIDS

• Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP). This fungal infection can cause severe illness.
• Candidiasis (thrush). Candidiasis is a common HIV -related infection.
• Tuberculosis (TB).
• Cytomegalovirus.
• Cryptococcal meningitis.
• Toxoplasmosis.

How are opportunistic infections diagnosed?

The diagnosis of opportunistic infection is based on several factors, including:

1. Patient history and physical examination.
2. Results of blood tests.
3. Culture and sensitivity tests to determine the underlying pathogen.

What happens when your body is fighting an infection?

In response to infection, your immune system springs into action. White blood cells, antibodies, and other mechanisms go to work to rid your body of the foreign invader.

How AIDS may lead to an opportunistic infection?

Because people with AIDS have weakened immune systems, they’re more prone to infections, called opportunistic infections. Opportunistic infections are caused by organisms that typically don’t cause disease in healthy people but affect people with damaged immune systems . These organisms attack when there’s an opportunity to infect.

What condition is frequently associated with a HIV infection?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes and fluid surrounding your brain and spinal cord (meninges). Cryptococcal meningitis is a common central nervous system infection associated with HIV, caused by a fungus found in soil. Toxoplasmosis. This potentially deadly infection is caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite spread primarily by cats.

Does HIV or AIDS virus kill the person who is infected?

Since there is currently no way to get rid of HIV from the body once someone is infected, most people with HIV will probably still have the virus when they die. Whether HIV/AIDS will be what causes someone’s death, however, is not always clear.

Does the HIV infection kill the immune system?

Every day in an infected person the HIV destroys billions of infection-fighting CD4+ T cells, until the immune system is no longer able to regenerate or fight other infections. The virus does this in several ways. One way is by killing cells directly: it hijacks cells and uses their resources to make copies of itself.