Opportunistic infection
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Overview
Opportunistic infections are infections caused by organisms that usually do not cause disease in a person with a healthy immune system, but can affect people with a poorly functioning or suppressed immune system. They need an "opportunity" to infect a person.
Causes
Immunodeficiency or immunosuppression can be caused by:
- Malnutrition
- Recurrent infections
- Immunosuppressing agents for organ transplant recipients
- Chemotherapy for cancer
- AIDS or HIV-infection
- Genetic predisposition
- Skin damage
- Antibiotic treatment
- Medical procedures
Types of infections
These infections include:
- Pneumocystis jirovecii, previously known as Pneumocystis carinii f. hominis
- Candida albicans
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Streptococcus pyogenes
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Acinetobacter baumanni
- Toxoplasma gondii
- Cytomegalovirus
- Aspergillus sp.
- Kaposi's Sarcoma [1] [1]
Treatment
Treatment depends on the type of opportunistic infection, but usually involves different antibiotics.
References
fr:Maladie opportuniste nl:Opportunistische infectie ja:日和見感染 sv:Opportunistisk infektion uk:Опортуністична інфекція
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
