Late-stage AIDS

Late-stage AIDS

Late-stage AIDS is usually marked by a sharp decline in the number of CD4+ lymphocytes, followed by a rise in the frequency of opportunistic infections and cancers. Doctors monitor the number and proportion of CD4+ lymphocytes in the patient's blood in order to assess the progression of the disease and the effectiveness of different medications. About 10% of infected individuals never progress to this overt stage of the disease.

OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTIONS. Once the patient's CD4+ lymphocyte count falls below 200 cells/mm³, the patient is at risk for a variety of opportunistic infections. The infectious organisms may include the following:

• Fungi. The most common fungal disease associated with AIDS is Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). About 70%-80% of AIDS patients will have at least one episode of PCP prior to death. PCP is the immediate cause of death in 15-20% of AIDS patients. It is an important measure of a patient's prognosis. Other fungal infections include a yeast infection of the mouth (candidiasis or thrush) and cryptococcal meningitis.