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HIV/AIDS

Pamela R Hughes, MD and Kyler M. Douglas, D.O. Reviewed 06/2022
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • HIV is a retrovirus (subgroup lentivirus) that integrates into CD4 T lymphocytes, altering cell-mediated immunity and causing cell death, severe immunodeficiency, opportunistic infec...

DIAGNOSIS

  • Acute retroviral syndrome: CD4 lymphocyte count declines with increase in viral load 1 to 4 weeks after transmission; confirmed by high-HIV RNA in the absence of HIV antibody.

  • Acute retrovira...

TREATMENT

  • Initiate ART in eligible patients. Select/change regimens based on resistance testing.

  • Consider dosing frequency, pill burden, adverse toxic effect profiles, comorbidities, and drug interacti...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

  • Monitor HIV RNA viral load 2 to 8 weeks after starting therapy; if detectable, repeat testing every 4 to 8 weeks until viral load is suppressed ...

REFERENCES

1
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Statistics Overview. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/overview.html.
2
Panel on Treatment of Pregnant Women with HIV Infection and Prevention of...

ADDITIONAL READING

Kim J, Vasan S, Kim JH, Ake JA. Current approaches to HIV vaccine development: a narrative review. J Int AIDS Soc. 2021 Nov;24 Suppl 7:e25793.   

CODES

ICD10

  • Z21 Asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus infection status

  • B20 Human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] disease

  • R75 Inconclusive laboratory evidence of human immunodef virus

  • Z20.6 Contact w and ...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Acute HIV seroconversion illness mimics mononucleosis and is characterized by fever, sore throat, adenopathy, myalgias, and rash.

  • Transmitted drug resistance is increasing. Evaluate for...

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