Monday, December 1, 2008

What Are the AIDS Defining Illnesses?

AIDS is a classification assigned to someone who has been diagnosed with the most serious opportunistic infections and illnesses; those illnesses said to be AIDS defining. Below is a list of AIDS defining illnesses.

Important Fact #1: Keep in mind that these diseases can occur in people without HIV infection, however such a person would not be classified as having AIDS.

Important Fact #2: While they are often used interchangeably, HIV and AIDS are very different.

Answer: They include:

  • Candidiasis
  • Cervical cancer (invasive)
  • Coccidioidomycosis, Cryptococcosis, Cryptosporidiosis
  • Cytomegalovirus disease
  • Encephalopathy (HIV-related)
  • Herpes simplex (an infection lasting longer than 1 month or in an area other than the skin such as esophagus or lungs)
  • Histoplasmosis
  • Isosporiasis
  • Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)
  • Lymphoma characterized by swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy)
  • Mycobacterium avium complex
  • Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP)
  • Pneumonia (recurrent)
  • Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML)
  • Salmonella septicemia (recurrent)
  • Toxoplasmosis of the brain
  • Tuberculosis
  • Wasting syndrome
Sources: Information provided in part by the Centers for Disease Control, 2004

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