When an HIV-positive person develops an opportunistic lung disease, one or more of the following symptoms are often present: Fever, Chills, Chronic Fatigue, Night sweats, Loss of appetite, Headaches, Shortness of breath, and Unexplained weight loss.

Symptoms of Opportunistic Lung Infections in HIV/AIDS patients:

• Chest pain
• Dry, or Productive Chronic Cough
• Sputum
  • Clear Sputum, or
  • Presense of pus or blood in sputum, and
• Breathing difficulties.

Opportunistic Lung Diseases in HIV Positive Persons:

• Tuberculosis in HIV Positive Patients

  HIV positive persons are at a greater risk of developing Tuberculosis because of their impaired immune system. Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Many carry (latently) the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium while they may have acquired the TB infection much earlier in life. Such latent infections has a potential of developing into full-blown Tuberculosis after a person's immune system is compromized by HIV.

• Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia (PCP) in HIV Positive Patients

  In order to guard against PCP, any HIV-positive person having a history of fungal infections or an HIV positive person having his/her CD4 count of less than 200 cpm is usually prescribed preventive medications for PCP. Such preventive medications must be continued, and patient's CD4 count must be periodically monitored. Administration of such preventive PCP medications can be stopped if the patient's CD4 count remains consistently above 200 cpm for three to six months.

• Bacterial infections in HIV-Positive Patients

  Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Sinusitis, and bacterial lung infections are considered to be quite common opportunistic lung related complications in HIV positive persons. Therefore, it is recommended that every HIV-positive person receives the pneumococcal vaccine.

• Kaposi's sarcoma in HIB-Positive Patients

  Kaposi's sarcoma causes purple blotches on the skin. Although the skin lesions in themselves are not life-threatening, it usually spreads to the lungs and/or other organs. Kaposi's sarcoma tumors are considered to be incurable.

• Fungal infections

  HIV-positive persons (especially those having CD4 counts in the range of 100 cpm) are considered to be at the greater risk of developing opportunistic lungs related fungal infections such as Coccidioidomycosis, Cryptococcosis, Histoplasmosis, and Aspergillosis.

Don't forget to check out Lung Disease News section of this website for the latest news related to the Treatment of Opportunistic Lung Disease in Immunocompromised HIV/AIDS Patients, and our Lung Disease Articles Library for the latest HIV/AIDS and Opportunistic Lung Dieases Articles.

Note: Consult a qualified medical practitioner if you suspect lung disease. Information published at this mesothelioma lung disease asbestos cancer forum - or most other websites for that matter - should not be relied upon for health decisions. The information presented on this web site is not intended as a substitute for medical care, medical, legal, or professional advise. Please talk with your healthcare provider for all your health concerns.