Opportunistic Infections

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With a weakened immune system, people with HIV/AIDS can suffer from opportunistic infections (OIs). These are health problems that usually don't make a healthy person sick. There also are OIs that only affect women or affect women more than men. For example, certain female health problems, like yeast infections, are common to many women. For women with HIV, these problems are harder to treat and can be more serious. The good news is that there are ways to prevent and treat many of these infections.

Below are different OIs:

• CMV (cytomegalovirus)
• Crypto (cryptosporidiosis)
• Cryptococcal Meningitis
• HCV (hepatitis C virus)
• Histoplasmosis
• MAC (mycobacterium avium complex)
• PCP (pneumocystis carinii pneumonia)
• TB (tuberculosis)
• Thrush (candidiasis)
• Toxo (toxoplasmosis)

Below are the OIs that are common in women:

• Genital Ulcers
• HPV (human papillomavirus) and cervical cancer
• Menstrual Problems
• PID (pelvic inflammatory disease)
• UTI (urinary tract infections)
• Vaginal Yeast Infections (candidiasis)

There are other problems that HIV causes:

• ADC (AIDS dementia complex)
• HIV Wasting Syndrome

Additional Information on Opportunistic Infections:

Publications

1.   HIV Infection In Women - AIDS is the fourth leading cause of death for women aged 25 to 44 in the United States. This fact sheet addresses the special concerns that women with HIV face.

   http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/womenhiv.htm

2.   Opportunistic Infections - This page links to all the information from AIDSInfo and other web sites about opportunistic infections.

   http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?MenuItem=HealthTopics&Search=Off&Healt...

3.   Safe Food and Water: A Guide for People With HIV Infection - This publication explains how HIV positive people can prevent getting infections from improperly prepared food and water.

   http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/brochure/food.htm

4.   Treating Opportunistic Infections Among HIV-Infected Adults and Adolescents - This report gives guidelines for treating opportunistic infections in HIV/AIDS patients. It also gives information on dealing with infections during pregnancy, and it lists treatment recommendations for several common infections.

   http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5315a1.htm

5. Gynecological Conditions and HIV/AIDS - This publication describes the common gynecological complications and conditions that women with HIV may experience.

   http://www.projectinform.org/info/gyn/index.shtml

6. HIV: How to Avoid Infections If You're HIV Positive (Copyright © AAFP) - This fact sheet discusses ways to protect yourself from other infections if you are HIV positive

   http://familydoctor.org/248.xml

7. Sex and Prevention Concerns For Positive People (Copyright © Project Inform) - This publication discusses the prevention needs of HIV positive people. It includes information on preventing the spread of HIV to HIV negative or HIV positive people and reducing your risk of contracting opportunistic infections.

   http://www.projectinform.org/info/sex/index.shtml

8. Strategies for Managing Opportunistic Infections (Copyright © Project Inform) - This publication explains the connection between HIV and opportunistic diseases, and it gives information on preventing and treating opportunistic infections.

   http://www.projectinform.org/info/ois/index.shtml

9. What Are Opportunistic Infections (Copyright © The Well Project) - This publication gives information on HIV/AIDS and opportunistic infections. It discusses how they are treated, how they can be prevented, and what infections are specific to women.

   http://www.thewellproject.org/Diseases_and_Conditions/Opportunistic_Infections/What_are_OI.jsp ...

Organizations

1.   CDC National Prevention Information Network
2.   CDC-INFO
3.   Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, NCHSTP, CDC, OPHS, HHS
4.   National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, HHS
5. AIDS InfoNet
6. Project Inform

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated January 25, 2008.