HIV Infection and AIDS Overview

Primarily through contact with saliva, according to some experts.

Individuals at increased risk of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS).

No recommendations exist currently for controlling HHV-8 transmission.

A condition leading to various clinical symptoms.

Various symptoms caused by HIV infection.

A type of cancer potentially associated with HIV.

Exposure to bodily fluids possibly involved in HHV-8 transmission.

Differ on the feasibility and efficacy of behavioral changes to control transmission.

Rarely shows clinical symptoms with appropriate treatment for pregnant women, infants, and children.

Includes fevers, swollen lymph nodes, enlarged liver/spleen, poor growth, oral/diaper fungus, diarrhea, and more.

Enlarged liver.

Enlarged spleen.

Poor growth and development in children.

Infections that occur more often in people with weakened immune systems.

Illnesses that are common complications of advanced HIV infection in adults and are now uncommon in children who are treated.

A treatment approach where multiple antiretroviral drugs are used together to fight HIV.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has policy statements on HIV/AIDS in children.

Infections that target weakened immune systems.

Children who have been potentially exposed to HIV.

Children diagnosed with HIV.

The guidelines instruct on how to handle opportunistic infections in HIV-exposed/infected children.

Valacyclovir, famciclovir, cidofovir, and foscarnet are used to reduce HHV-8 replication. Antiretroviral therapy, especially zidovudine and nelfinavir, might also inhibit HHV-8 replication.

HHV-8 can lead to Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), and multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD).

Antiviral therapy might play a larger role in treating diseases related to active HHV-8 replication, particularly MCD and KICS.

Radiation and cancer chemotherapy are used to manage malignancies associated with HHV-8.

Standard precautions are recommended for isolating patients infected with HHV-8.

Some experts believe that HHV-8 is primarily transmitted through contact with saliva.

People with high risk for Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) are advised to avoid contact with saliva, according to some experts, to lower their risk of HHV-8 infection.

There is no consensus on the effectiveness of preventing HHV-8 transmission through behavioral changes, and more research is needed.

HIV infection can cause a wide range of symptoms and health problems.

Clinical manifestations of HIV infection are the various symptoms that occur as a result of the infection.

Opportunistic infections are common in people with HIV because their immune systems are weakened, making them more vulnerable to infections.

cART involves using multiple antiretroviral drugs together to fight HIV infection and reduce its impact on the body.

AIDS-defining illnesses are serious health conditions that are common complications of advanced HIV infection.

HIV type 1 (HIV-1) is more prevalent in the US than HIV type 2 (HIV-2). This chapter primarily focuses on HIV-1 infection, unless otherwise specified.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the advanced stage of HIV infection, defined by CDC criteria.

This syndrome develops in 50-90% of adults and adolescents within weeks of HIV infection. It features symptoms like fever, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and skin rash.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) establishes specific criteria to diagnose AIDS in children, adolescents, and adults.

Acute retroviral syndrome manifests with symptoms similar to mononucleosis, including fever, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and skin rash.

In children who have not received HIV treatment, early symptoms may include unexplained fevers, swollen lymph nodes, enlarged liver and spleen, poor growth, recurring oral and diaper yeast infections, frequent diarrhea, and other complications like brain problems, lung issues, and opportunistic infections.

Serious health problems that often appear in adults with advanced HIV but are now rare in children with timely diagnosis and treatment.

Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) is a powerful approach that uses multiple anti-HIV drugs together to effectively manage the infection in children.

A serious lung condition that can occur in children with untreated HIV, causing inflammation and thickening of the lung tissue.

HIV can affect the brain and nervous system in children, leading to problems like encephalopathy, abnormal reflexes, and developmental delays.

An enlarged liver (hepatomegaly) and an enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) are common signs of untreated HIV in children.

Children with HIV may experience poor growth and development (failure to thrive) due to the virus's impact on their body.

Before effective HIV treatment, common OIs in children included infections with bacteria, Pneumocystis jirovecii, varicella-zoster virus, CMV, HSV, Mycobacterium avium complex, and Candida.

A paradoxical worsening of symptoms after starting HIV treatment due to the immune system's recovery.

Mycobacteria (including TB), herpesviruses, and fungi (like Cryptococcal species) can trigger IRIS.

Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has significantly reduced the frequency of opportunistic infections in people with HIV.

Even with successful HIV treatment, IRIS can still occur in some individuals.

Invasive bacteria, Pneumocystis jirovecii, varicella-zoster virus, CMV, HSV, Mycobacterium avium complex, and Candida were common before effective HIV treatment.

Effective HIV treatment (cART) has significantly reduced the occurrence of opportunistic infections in people with HIV, particularly in children.

HIV infection in children is less common than in adults, but it can still have severe consequences.

A type of B-cell lymphoma that is more common in children with HIV than in children with healthy immune systems.

A brain disorder caused by HIV infection, leading to cognitive decline and other neurological issues.

A treatment approach that uses multiple drugs to fight HIV and improve the health outcomes of HIV-infected children.

A major way for HIV to spread from a pregnant woman to her baby, during pregnancy, labor, or delivery.

Without cART, HIV-infected infants with high viral loads and low CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts have a poor prognosis.

Conditions that indicate advanced HIV infection, such as PCP, neurologic disease, and severe wasting