Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1991. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
THE IMMUNE SYSTEM: CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS
The Epidemiology of AIDS: Expression, Occurrence, and Control of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection. Kaslow RA and Francis DP, eds. New York, Oxford University Press, p. 48-67, 1989.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/90668111 Rogers P; Masur H; Presbyterian Univ. Hosp., DeSoto at O'Hara St., Rm. 1304,; Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Abstract:
Since the isolation of HIV-1 and the development of accurate serologic tests, clinical studies have demonstrated that HIV-1 infection is associated with a much broader spectrum of clinical manifestations than those included in the Centers for Disease Control's original definition of AIDS. Clinical manifestations of HIV-1 infection are reviewed, including acute retroviral infection; HIV-1-related syndromes; and the disease spectrum in AIDS (respiratory tract disease, CNS manifestations, retinochoroiditis, gastrointestinal disease, bacteremia and fungemia, and neoplasms). The acquisition of HIV-1 infection can be associated with mild and self-limiting symptoms and signs. A large fraction of HIV-1-infected patients (pts) are asymptomatic and have no abnormal physical findings. It is not certain what factors determine how likely or how rapidly an individual pt is to develop significant or life-threatening disease. Opportunistic infections are frequent occurrences in AIDS. Opportunistic pathogens can be divided into two groups in terms of therapeutic options: pathogens, such as Pneumocystis, Cryptococcus, Toxoplasma, cytomegalovirus, and Candida, which can be successfully treated in most cases but which have a high likelihood of recurring when therapy is stopped, and those pathogens, such as Cryptosporidium and Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare, for which no effective therapy exists. Although visceral Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is common, it usually remains clinically silent. Several other tumors, mostly B-cell immunoblastic sarcomas and small, noncleaved, non-Burkitt lymphomas, also occur in pts with AIDS. Once a life-threatening infection develops, death due to an infection or neoplastic process seems inevitable. Median survival after an episode of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is 318 days. With KS, most pts ultimately die owing to infection (median survival 750 days) rather than tumor, though some pts with KS may survive more than 5 yr. (96 Refs)
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/DIAGNOSIS/*IMMUNOLOGY Human HIV Antibodies/ANALYSIS HIV Infections/DIAGNOSIS/*IMMUNOLOGY HIV Seropositivity/IMMUNOLOGY HIV-1/*IMMUNOLOGY Opportunistic Infections/*IMMUNOLOGY Sarcoma, Kaposi's/IMMUNOLOGY Skin Neoplasms/IMMUNOLOGY MONOGRAPH REVIEW 912130
M91C4108
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1991. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
