HIV/AIDS and Infections Also called: AIDS-related opportunistic infections, OIs Summary Having HIV/AIDS weakens your body’s immune system. Your immune system normally fights germs that enter your body. When HIV/AIDS makes it weak, it can’t fight germs well. This can lead to serious infections that don’t often affect healthy people. These are called opportunistic infections (OIs). There are many types of OIs. Tuberculosis and a serious related disease, Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) are bacterial infections. Viral infections include cytomegalovirus (CMV) and hepatitis C. Fungi cause thrush (candidiasis), cryptococcal meningitis, pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) and histoplasmosis, and parasites cause crypto (cryptosporidiosis) and toxo (toxoplasmosis). Having HIV/AIDS can make any infection harder to treat. People with AIDS are also more likely to suffer complications of common illnesses such as the flu. The good news is that you can help prevent infections by taking your HIV/AIDS medicines. Other things that can help include practicing safe sex, washing your hands well and often and cooking your food well. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Find an Expert AIDS.gov AIDS.gov AIDSinfo Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention NIAID Division of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Reference Desk AIDSinfo Glossary AIDSinfo Specifics Candidiasis (Thrush) New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center Cryptococcal Meningitis New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center Cytomegalovirus (CMV) New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center Hepatitis C New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center Herpes Simplex (Cold Sores and Genital Herpes) New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center Herpes Zoster (Shingles) New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center Histoplasmosis and HIV Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health HIV and Rheumatic Disease American College of Rheumatology HIV and Viral Hepatitis Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HIV/AIDS and Fungal Infections Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HIV/AIDS and the Flu Centers for Disease Control and Prevention MedlinePlus: Pneumocystis Infections National Library of Medicine Molluscum New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center Mouth Problems and HIV National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Mycobacterium Avium Complex (MAC) New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Role of STD Detection and Treatment in HIV Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Toxoplasmosis New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center Tuberculosis AIDS.gov Tuberculosis: The Connection between TB and HIV (the AIDS Virus) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Valley Fever Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Diagnosis and Tests CD4 (T-Cell) Tests New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections National Institutes of Health Array Cryptococcosis Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy Prevention and Risk Factors Food Safety for People with HIV/AIDS Food and Drug Administration HIV and Immunizations AIDSinfo Preventing Opportunistic Infections in HIV (Beyond the Basics) UpToDate Sex and Prevention Concerns for Positive People Project Inform Images Hairy Leukoplakia National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Statistics and Research HIV-Associated TB: Facts 2013 World Health Organization Research on HIV Co-Infections National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Videos and Tutorials HIVAIDS – Opportunistic Infections Healthy Roads Media Related Issues Immune Reconstitution Syndrome New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center Immune Restoration New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center Neurological Complications of AIDS National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Treatments and Therapies MedlinePlus: HIV/AIDS Medicines National Library of Medicine Start Here Opportunistic Infections AIDS.gov Opportunistic Infections Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Opportunistic Infections New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center Women Opportunistic Infections and Other Conditions Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health Journal Articles HIV/AIDS and Infections Patient Handouts Tuberculosis Facts – TB and HIV/AIDS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
