Untreated HIV, over the course of years, will harm your immune system and can lead to opportunistic infections.
The illness known as HIV/AIDS happens in three stages: acute HIV infection, chronic HIV infection, and AIDS.
Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a serious infection that causes inflammation and fluid buildup in your lungs.
Someone infected with both HIV and tuberculosis is at least 10 times more likely to develop active tuberculosis.
Mycobacterium avium complex usually causes problems after HIV becomes AIDS and your CD4 cell count gets lower than 50.
In people who have advanced HIV, CMV can cause an eye infection called retinitis that may lead to blindness.
Cryptosporidium is a one-celled parasite that can make you sick. It can happen in people who have advanced HIV, or AIDS.
For people with HIV or AIDS whose immune systems are already compromised, histoplasmosis is a serious health concern.
When you’re living with HIV, your weakened your immune system makes it easier for candida to overgrow and cause candidiasis.
Toxoplasmosis is a common infection of the central nervous system in people with HIV.
When you have HIV or AIDS, you’re more likely to get opportunistic infections. Better HIV meds have made this less likely.
Fortunately, with the rise of antiretroviral therapy for HIV, opportunistic infections have gone down significantly.