Update on the pathology of AIDS.
The acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the result of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection damaging the cell-mediated immune system. HIV infection is a zoonosis that has affected man for at least 50 years, though the disease has become pandemic only in the last 2 decades. A wide range of opportunistic infections (Ols) and tumours develop; additionally, HIV directly damages some organs. The patterns of opportunistic diseases (ODs) are significantly different in different parts of the world, depending on the local prevalences of latent and acquired infections and on the survival of HIV-infected patients. OD patterns change as peoples migrate. Recent highly active anti-retroviral (HIV) chemotherapy prevents many of the common Ols, but also induces a new range of toxic pathological damage, e.g. the liver, and lipid metabolism. Longer survival permits development of new HIV-related diseases, e.g. the lymphoproliferative disorders. The pathology of HIV/AIDS is not static but changing.
Lucas
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Department of Clinical Histopathology, Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine, London, UK. Sebastian.lucas@kc.ac.uk
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000821:virology; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000821:virology