Opportunistic central nervous system pathology in patients with AIDS

Central nervous system disease related to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) includes both those illnesses arising from primary human immunodeficiency virus infection and those secondary to opportunistic processes. Ten percent of AIDS patients present with neurological illness; nearly 40% have significant neurological symptoms and 75% have neuropathological abnormalities on autopsy. The frequency of multiple central nervous system pathological processes in the neurologically symptomatic AIDS patient may approach 30%, making the diagnosis and follow-up of these patients extremely difficult. Specific AIDS-related opportunistic infections of the central nervous system are discussed.