[Opportunistic eye diseases within the scope of HIV infection]

Some ocular infections, only rarely seen in otherwise healthy individuals, are sometimes seen in patients with immunodeficiencies, i.e., with HIV infection. A typical example is the ophthalmic zoster or luetic uveitis in young individuals which should always imply the possibility of HIV infection. The so called opportunistic infections in contrast are only seen in HIV infection defining the AIDS syndrome. These infections are systemic in origin and only secondarily affecting the eye. Consequently, a therapy concept for these diseases should be developed always involving both, the ophthalmologist and the general physician. Pathogens causing ocular infections are cytomegalovirus (CMV), cryptococcus, pneumocystis carinii, mycobacteria, toxoplasma gondii, histoplasma capsulatum and candida albicans. Under these, CMV retinitis is the commonest infection affecting nearly 20% of all AIDS patients. The clinical findings and therapy of the most frequent ocular infections are discussed and a scheme for the care of these patients introduced.