Fungal infections in HIV/AIDS

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Updated: Feb 25, 2026

Sequencing of Bacterial Microflora in Peripheral Blood: our Experience with HIV-infected Patients
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Sequencing of Bacterial Microflora in Peripheral Blood: our Experience with HIV-infected Patients

Published on: June 11, 2011

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Andrew H Limper1, Antoine Adenis2, Thuy Le3

  • 1Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA.

The Lancet. Infectious Diseases
|August 5, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Fungal infections remain a significant threat for individuals with HIV/AIDS, especially in resource-limited settings. Improved diagnostics and wider antifungal drug access are crucial for better patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Fungal infections are common opportunistic infections in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS).
  • Key systemic fungal infections include pneumocystosis, cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, and talaromycosis.
  • While antiretroviral therapy has reduced fungal infection incidence in high-income countries, challenges persist in resource-limited settings due to advanced HIV and treatment adherence issues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the persistent burden of systemic fungal infections in HIV/AIDS patients.
  • To emphasize the need for improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for fungal diseases in HIV/AIDS care.
  • To advocate for increased accessibility of diagnostic tools and antifungal medications.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on fungal infections in HIV/AIDS.
  • Analysis of factors contributing to increased fungal infection risk in specific populations.
  • Identification of existing and needed interventions for fungal disease management.

Main Results:

  • Systemic fungal infections continue to affect HIV/AIDS patients, particularly those with low CD4 counts or treatment challenges.
  • Diagnostic and treatment gaps exist for several key fungal infections, including pneumocystosis, talaromycosis, and histoplasmosis.
  • Antiretroviral drug resistance and poor adherence exacerbate the risk and impact of these infections.

Conclusions:

  • Affordable, rapid point-of-care diagnostic tests are urgently required for pneumocystosis, talaromycosis, and histoplasmosis.
  • Wider availability of essential antifungal drugs like amphotericin B and flucytosine is critical.
  • International collaboration on education and training in fungal disease management can significantly improve patient outcomes.

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