HIV-associated opportunistic infections of the CNS

Abstract

Survival in people infected with HIV has improved because of an increasingly powerful array of antiretroviral treatments, but neurological symptoms due to comorbid conditions, including infection with hepatitis C virus, malnutrition, and the effects of accelerated cardiovascular disease and ageing, are increasingly salient. A therapeutic gap seems to exist between the salutary effects of antiretroviral regimens and the normalisation of neurological function in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. Despite the advances in antiretroviral therapy, CNS opportunistic infections remain a serious burden worldwide. Most opportunistic infections can be recognised by a combination of characteristic clinical and radiological features and are treatable, but some important challenges remain in the diagnosis and management of HIV-associated opportunistic infections.