A brighter future for the AIDS patient

This article explores the etiology, medical and surgical treatment, and care of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patient with cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis. CMV retinitis is the most common intraocular infection as well as the leading cause of vision loss in people with AIDS. CMV, part of the herpesvirus group, is an opportunistic pathogen that is transmitted through body fluids. Both the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the herpesvirus are factors in predisposing retinal tissue to CMV. CMV usually remains dormant in a healthy immune system. However, in people who are immunosuppressed, the virus can become active and cause infections in the GI tract, lungs, and central nervous system, as well as in the eyes.