[Neuropathology of HIV infection]

Some references about the important neuropathologic lesions observed in patients with AIDS and about the variation on the relative incidence of the processes detected when analyzing clinic and neuropathologic tables, as well as a mention to the confusion created by terminological problems, clinicopathologic disagreement and wrong etiologic attributions, are used as an introduction to the exposition of HIV infection neuropathology. In a first section, Central Neuropathology is described, starting with the disorders considered as primarily caused by HIV. Then, infectious secondary Neuropathology, caused by different viruses, parasites, fungi or bacteria, and neoplastic secondary Neuropathology, mainly represented by localized lymphoma and by the uncommon Kaposi's disease, are analyzed. This section also includes references to cerebrovascular complications, Pediatric Neuropathology and ends with an analysis of cerebral biopsy indications. In the second part, Peripheral Neuropathology is described, splitting up peripheral nerve and muscle pathology.