How to Manage Opportunistic Infections When HIV Positive

People who are HIV positive frequently suffer from a weakened immune system, which makes them vulnerable to many opportunistic infections. People with HIV or AIDS must manage such vulnerabilities carefully, because these infections can be difficult to treat and sometimes lethal for HIV positive individuals. The most common and serious of these is pneumocystis carinii. Others include cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, hepatitis C virus and mycobacterium avium. 

Things You'll Need

• Regular medical checkups and blood cell monitoring

Instructions:

Manage and Prevent Opportunistic Infections When HIV Positive

1.  Take all medications in your HIV or AIDS treatment regiment exactly as prescribed.

2. Avoid activities or employment that increase your risk of infection or put you in proximity to people who are sick. Talk to your doctor before taking a position in a hospital, prison or homeless shelter.

3. Wash your hands frequently and avoid any unprotected contact with the biological waste of human beings or animals in any environment, from sexual contact to swimming in a swimming pool.

4. Monitor your CD4 cell count and ask your doctor to prescribe trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) to protect you against pneumocystis carinii (PCP) if your CD4 count falls below 200. TMP-SMX is also recommended if you have a temperature of 100 F or more that last two weeks or more or if you suffer from thrush or another fungal infection in your throat or mouth.

5. Ask your doctor whether you should receive a medication such as clarithromycin, azithromycin, or rifabutin to reduce your chance of getting mycobacterium avium (MAC) if your T-cell count falls below 50.

6. Manage your jobs or activities to stay clear of fungus by avoiding construction or demolition, farming or gardening, lab work or work with bridges, caves, chimneys or HVAC systems.

7. Protect yourself from HCV by taking precautions such as using a condom during sex, avoiding contact with any other person's blood or with implements such as razors, toothbrushes, drug works or tattoo or piercing tools that could have blood on them.

8. Cook all meat, eggs and other animal products thoroughly and never eat raw meat or eggs.

9. Manage your weight and nutrition to avoid dramatic weight loss or wasting.

Get Immediate Treatment for Opportunistic Infections When HIV Positive

10. Report any symptoms of opportunistic infections to your doctor and seek immediate medication and treatment if you are HIV positive.

11. Continue to take all medications for opportunistic infections, even after you begin to feel better or believe yourself to be cured or finished with the infection. Cease taking such medications only when specifically told to stop the medication by your doctor. Failure to complete the full course of medication can subject you to a more intense, potentially lethal return of the infection.

Tips & Warnings

• One of the dangers associated with some HIV-related opportunistic infections is that some, such as tuberculosis (TB), can be spread to other people whether or not they are HIV positive.