Introduction Candidiasis is caused by fungi of the Candida species that encompasses infections ranging from non-life-threatening mucocutaneous disorders to invasive diseases involving any organ system. Candida species represents a common human commensal on the skin and mucous membranes. Such colonisation does not otherwise cause infection in healthy persons unless the host defense mechanisms are impaired. […]
Introduction Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a double-stranded DNA virus in the herpes virus family. CMV is the commonest viral opportunistic pathogen in patients with AIDS. CMV disease in AIDS patients is mainly due to reactivation of latent infection rather than primary infection. Risk factors for development of CMV diseases include advanced immunosuppression with a CD4 count […]
Introduction Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast found ubiquitously in soil worldwide. It causes the majority of HIV-associated cryptococcal infections. The yeast spreads haematogenously from the lung to the central nervous system (CNS). Other possible disseminated sites include skin, bone, and the genitourinary tract, but meninges appear to be the preferred site. The reasons are […]
Introduction Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) refers to infections caused by one of the two nontuberculous mycobacterial species, namely Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare. The clinical spectrum is limited predominantly to pulmonary diseases and lymphadenitis in normal hosts and disseminated disease in HIV-infected patients. Since 1982, the incidence of disease due to MAC has increased, coinciding […]
Introduction Worldwide, tuberculosis (TB) incidence has been declining at about 2% per year, while a quarter of the world’s population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). In 2017, there were 10.0 million new TB cases, of which 0.83-1.01 million (9%) were people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Out of 1.6 million TB deaths, 0.30 (0.27-0.33) million […]
Introduction Talaromyces marneffei (T. marneffei, formerly Penicillium marneffei) is a thermally dimorphic fungus that grows as a mould at 25°C in living tissue and as a yeast at 37°C. Endemic in Southeast Asia, it is an important cause of systemic mycosis in the region since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.[1] Disseminated T. marneffei infection […]
Introduction Pneumocystis organisms were first reported by Carlos Chagas in 1909. It was initially thought to be a protozoan but reclassified as a fungus in 1988 after DNA sequence analysis. More recently, additional DNA data showed that Pneumocystis organisms from different host species have very different DNA sequences, indicating presence of multiple species. The microbe […]
Background and epidemiology Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a potentially fatal demyelinating disease caused by JC virus (JCV), a human double-stranded DNA virus of the polyoma family. Primary infection occurs during late childhood and the infection is usually asymptomatic. More than 85% of adults have detectable antibody to JCV indicating previous exposure. The virus remains […]
Introduction Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an obligate intracellular protozoan of worldwide distribution. It was discovered over 100 years ago and is now regarded as one of the most successful parasites in view of its ability to infect and replicate in almost all warm-blooded animals. Infection in immunocompetent human has generally been regarded as of […]
Introduction With the advance of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), HIV infected people are living longer. While they are less likely to be dying from opportunistic infections, one of the main causes of death today is complication from chronic liver disease, especially chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) diseases. Since HIV, […]
