5.1 Introduction

Section 5 provides an overview of the most common opportunistic infections and coinfections related to HIV.

Opportunistic Infections (OIs) are illnesses that your body is not able to fight because of the damage caused by HIV to your immune system.

5.2 Aims for this section

After reading section 5, advocates will understand the main symptoms and ways to prevent or treat:

• Candida and other skin problems
• Gut infections: giardia, cryptosporidia, microsporidia
• PCP
• TB
• MAI and MAC
• Hepatitis B and C
• CMV
• Toxoplasmosis
• Cryptococcal meningitis
• Cancer: lymphoma and sarcoma, including NHL, KS
• Wasting and weight loss
• Malaria