Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 6, 2026

Processing of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid and Matched Blood for Alveolar Macrophage and CD4+ T-cell Immunophenotyping and HIV Reservoir Assessment
07:21

Processing of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid and Matched Blood for Alveolar Macrophage and CD4+ T-cell Immunophenotyping and HIV Reservoir Assessment

Published on: June 23, 2019

23.9K

[Pulmonary fungal infection in patients with AIDS]

B Denis1, O Lortholary

  • 1Service des maladies infectieuses et tropicales, centre d'infectiologie Necker-Pasteur, université Paris Descartes, hôpital Necker-Enfants-Malades, 149, rue de Sèvres, 75743 Paris cedex 15, France.

Revue Des Maladies Respiratoires
|November 5, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Fungal infections are common opportunistic infections in HIV patients, especially those with severe immune deficiency. While combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has reduced incidence, these infections still pose challenges, particularly with immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS).

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Context:

  • Fungal infections are the most frequent opportunistic infections (OI) in individuals with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
  • The advent of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has significantly decreased the incidence of these infections.
  • However, fungal infections remain a concern in untreated, noncompliant, or treatment-experienced HIV patients, indicating severe cellular immunodepression.

Purpose:

  • To review the epidemiology and clinical presentation of fungal infections in HIV-infected patients.
  • To discuss the impact of cART on fungal OI incidence and management.
  • To highlight challenges in diagnosis, dissemination screening, and treatment, including immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS).

Summary:

  • Fungal infections, such as Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia and cryptococcosis, are significant Ols in HIV patients, particularly those with advanced immunodeficiency.
  • While cART has reduced their occurrence, imported endemic fungal infections and disseminated disease require vigilance.
  • Management involves balancing cART initiation with antifungal therapy, considering risks of progression, toxicity, and IRIS.

Impact:

  • Fungal infections serve as critical markers for the severity of immune deficiency in HIV patients.
  • Understanding these infections is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies in the cART era.
  • Effective management requires careful consideration of potential complications like IRIS, necessitating tailored therapeutic regimens.
Keywords:
CryptococcoseCryptococcosisEndemic mycosesHIVIRISMycoses endémiquesPneumocystis jiroveci pneumoniaPneumocystoseVIH

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Advancing Pathogen Detection and Disease Assessment in Real-Time Using M-ROSE03:22

Author Spotlight: Advancing Pathogen Detection and Disease Assessment in Real-Time Using M-ROSE

Published on: March 1, 2024

1.4K
Histological Quantification to Determine Lung Fungal Burden in Experimental Aspergillosis09:52

Histological Quantification to Determine Lung Fungal Burden in Experimental Aspergillosis

Published on: March 9, 2018

12.7K

Related Concept Videos

Pulmonary Tuberculosis I01:29

Pulmonary Tuberculosis I

Tuberculosis, often called TB, is a contagious illness primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It mainly affects the lung parenchyma but can also impact other body parts.
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
1.7K
Pulmonary Tuberculosis III01:31

Pulmonary Tuberculosis III

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious infection primarily affecting the lung parenchyma but which can also affect other body parts. TB can be classified based on disease development, presentation, and the affected anatomical site.
The first classification is based on the development of the disease, and it includes the following categories:
1.8K
Pneumonia I: Introduction01:30

Pneumonia I: Introduction

Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection that targets the lungs, specifically the alveoli. These tiny air sacs, essential for oxygen exchange, become engorged with pus and fluid, severely hindering breathing, decreasing oxygen absorption, and causing significant pain and discomfort during respiration.
Risk Factors
Various factors influence the likelihood of developing pneumonia. Age plays a crucial role, with infants, children under two, and individuals over 65 at increased risk due to their...
1.5K
Pneumonia I: Introduction01:29

Pneumonia I: Introduction

Pneumonia is an infection of the lower respiratory tract that leads to inflammation of the lung parenchyma, often resulting in the accumulation of inflammatory exudate in the alveoli and airways. Unlike the watery, low-protein fluid exudate in pulmonary edema, the exudate in this case is a thick fluid rich in immune cells, proteins, and debris produced during infection and inflammation.This impairs gas exchange and can lead to consolidation of lung tissue. The infection may be caused by a...
58
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
787
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to...
132