Pathogens opportunistic

HAART has been associated with numerous neurological immune reconstitution illnesses, which generally occur within 6 months after its introduction and are thought to constitute an aberrant immune response to opportunistic pathogens (Shelburne and Hamill 2003 Riedel et al. 2006 Venkataramana et al. 2006). 

Wahl SM, Greenwell-Wild T, Peng G, Hale-Donze H, Orenstein JM (1999) Co-infection with opportunistic pathogens promotes human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection in macrophages. J Infect Dis 179(Suppl. 3) S457-S460... 

Virus infections such as influenza and the common cold (in reality 300-400 different strains ofrhinovirus) infect epithelial cells ofthe respiratory tract and nasopharynx, respectively. Release ofthe virus, after lysis ofthe host cells, is to the void rather than to subepithelial tissues. The epithelia is further infected resulting in general degeneration ofthe tracts. Such damage predisposes the respiratory tract to infection with opportunistic pathogens such as Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae. 

In hospitals today a wide variety of complex equipment is used in the course of patient treatment. Humidifiers, incubators, ventilators, resuscitators and other apparatus require proper maintenance and decontamination after use. Chemical disinfectants used for this purpose have in the past through misuse become contaminated with opportunist pathogens, such as Ps. aeruginosa, and ironically have contributed to, rather than reduced, the spread of cross-infection in hospital patients. Disinfectants should only be used for their intended purpose and directions for use must be followed at all times. 

Eschbach M, K Schreiber, K Trunk, J Buer, D Jahn, M Schobert (2004) Long-term anaerobic survival of the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa via pyruvate fermentation. J Bacteriol 186 4596-4604. 

HGMV, a betaherpes virus, is an opportunistic pathogen that commonly afflicts immunocompromised (human immunodeficiency virus, HIV) or immunosuppressed persons <2003BML3483>. 

Therapies for Common Opportunistic Pathogens in HIV-Infected Individuals... 

The concentrations of nitrite or nitrate in the sera of patients infected with H IV-1 are substantially raised, especially in those with low CD4 cell counts [118]. However, during HIV-1 infection, it is difficult to find out whether the NO production is attributable to virus replication or to opportunistic infections, or both. In vitro there is a substantial rise in nitrite concentrations from blood mononuclear cells and polymorphonuclear leucocytes from patients with AIDS, especially in those with neurological disorders and pulmonary disease caused by intracellular opportunistic pathogens [121]. Interestingly, the serum concentrations of nitrate are positively correlated with plasma and cell-associated viral loads, which suggests that HIV-1 may induce NO synthesis in vivo [119]. However, the results clearly show that there is a close relation between viral replication and iNOS expression or peaks of plasma nitrate in the absence of any opportunistic infections, in either in macaques or infected patients [119, 122, 123]. 

Minimal clinical effect Moderate drop in lymphocytes Increased susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens Dose can be fatal in 5—50% of victims without treatment (lymphocytes indicate severity) Anticipate infection, bleeding, and fever Increased susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens Wounds and burns geometrically increase morbidity and mortality... 

Moderate to severe loss of lymphocytes Significant medical attention required Increased susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens... 

Oral ulcers Severe oral ulcers occurred in approximately 3% of patients in 2 trials. Less severe oral ulcerations occurred at higher frequencies in other clinical trials. Esophageal ulcers Infrequent cases of esophageal ulcers have been attributed to zalcitabine therapy. Consider interruption of therapy in patients who develop esophageal ulcers that do not respond to specific treatment for opportunistic pathogens in order to assess a possible relationship to zalcitabine. Cardiomyopathy/CHF Cardiomyopathy and CHF have occurred with the use of nucleoside antiretroviral agents in AIDS patients infrequent cases have occurred in patients receiving zalcitabine. Approach treatment with caution in patients with baseline cardiomyopathy or history of CHF. 

Plotnikova, J. M., Rahme, L. G., and Ausubel, F. M. (2000). Pathogenesis of the human opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol. 124,1766-1774. 

Ophtalmia neonatorum by N. gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis is acquired during delivery. Contact lens wear predisposes to corneal infections, mostly by Pseudomonas sp. and the ameba Acan-thamoeba and Naegleria. Immunocompromised hosts are predisposed to severe retinitis by CMV and to other intra-ocular eye infections by opportunistic pathogens. 

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