Published: http://www.thebody.com/index.html
What Are Opportunistic Infections?
In our bodies, we carry many germs — bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses. When our immune system is working, it controls these germs. But when the immune system is weakened by HIV disease or by some medications, these germs can get out of control and cause health problems.
Infections that take advantage of weakness in the immune defenses are called “opportunistic.” The phrase “opportunistic infection” is often shortened to “OI.”
The rates of OIs have fallen dramatically since the introduction of antiretroviral therapies. However, OIs are still a problem, especially for people who have not been tested for HIV. Many people still show up in hospitals with a serious OI, often pneumocystis pneumonia. This is how they learn they have HIV infection.
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