Metabolic disturbances and wasting in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

Article Abstract:

AIDS patients who are fighting off infections often suffer from malnutrition and weight loss caused by the wasting syndrome. The wasting syndrome is a metabolic disorder caused by the body's immune response. Activation of cytokines, or substances that mediate the body's immune response, may increase fat metabolism or cause a nitrogen imbalance. AIDS patients should try to maintain their weight by increasing their calorie intake. Patients suffering from secondary infections often experience a decrease in appetite, or an aversion to food. Many patients experience severe diarrhea, and decreased absorption of nutrients by the gastrointestinal tract. Individuals suffering from diarrhea may need to temporarily decrease their calorie intake. Wasting may be minimized by prompt treatment of infections with the correct drugs. Weight loss should be prevented in AID patients because it is difficult to regain.

Physiological aspects, Weight loss, Nutrition disorders, Starvation

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A 48-year-old man with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhea

Article Abstract:

A 48-year-old man with advanced AIDS was admitted to a hospital for abdominal pain and chronic bloody diarrhea. Prior to his hospitalization, a stool specimen had tested positive for Clostridium (C.) difficile. He also had a history of cytomegalovirus infection of his left eye. During his hospitalization, a blood test was positive for cytomegalovirus. He was discharged for home parenteral feeding, but returned to the hospital when his bloody diarrhea did not resolve. X-rays and CT scans of his abdomen revealed thickening of the intestinal wall and signs of inflammation. He failed to recover despite blood transfusions and antibiotic treatment for cytomegalovirus and C. difficile. Part of his small and large intestine was removed surgically and was found to contain a pseudomembrane typical of C. difficile infection. Cytomegalovirus infection was also detected. His symptoms resolved after surgery.

Case studies, Cytomegalovirus infections, Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous, Antibiotic-associated colitis, Enterocolitis, Necrotizing enterocolitis

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Successful treatment with foscarnet of an acyclovir-resistant mucocutaneous infection with herpes simplex virus in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

Article Abstract:

The common form of treatment for herpes simplex virus (HSV) is acyclovir, an antiviral agent, but treatment of HSV has been hindered by the formation of acyclovir-resistant HSV strains, which are occurring with increasing frequency among AIDS patients. The use of foscarnet to treat a patient with AIDS and a severe case of HSV type 2 (HSV-2) infection of the mucous membranes and the skin that did not respond to therapy with acyclovir is documented. The mucocutaneous infection caused by HSV-2 healed completely after a 16-day course of foscarnet therapy. A more detailed analysis of strains of HSV which produce recurrent lesions in patients with AIDS may be helpful in the treatment of such patients and may contribute to the understanding of delayed HSV development.

Analysis, Evaluation, Testing, Drug therapy, Drug resistance in microorganisms, Microbial drug resistance, Acyclovir, Antiviral agents, Herpes simplex virus, Restriction enzymes, DNA, DNA restriction enzymes, Thymidine, column

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