• Topic Overview
• Related Information
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Topic Overview

Opportunistic infections and diseases occur in people whose immune systems have been weakened. They usually do not occur in people who have healthy immune systems. When the immune system is weakened by a disease such as HIV infection, opportunistic diseases may cause serious, even life-threatening, illnesses.

Opportunistic infections that are common in people who have AIDS include:

• Pneumocystispneumonia.
• Tuberculosis.
• Toxoplasmosis.
• Cytomegalovirus (CMV).
• Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC).

People who have AIDS are more likely to develop certain cancers, such as:

• Kaposi's sarcoma.
• Cancer of the lymphatic system (lymphoma).
• Cancer of the cervix.

Related Information

• HIV: When Should I Start Taking Antiretroviral Medicines for HIV Infection?
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection
• Medical History and Physical Exam for HIV Infection
• Nucleoside/Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors for HIV
• Protease Inhibitors (PIs) for HIV

Credits