Respiratory diseases in HIV-infected patients (review)

The review presents information on epidemiology, clinical, laboratory and radiological manifestations of infectious and malignant respiratory diseases in HIV-infected patients. The data on the most common infections (communityacquired pneumonia, tuberculosis, Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia) and malignant diseases (Kaposhi’s sarcoma, lymphomas) as well as less frequent diseases (CMV-infection, MAC-infection, fungal pneumonias) are presented. The article contains facts about the incidence of pulmonary diseases according to the severity of HIV-associated immunodeficiency. This review also presents current information on the diagnostic criteria, treatment regimens and secondary prophylaxis for HIV-associated respiratory infections and malignancies. The specialties of ART initiation in definite cases of opportunistic infections and ART assignment during the diagnostic period are highlighted. The growing number of HIV-infected patients and the wide spectrum of possible pulmonary diseases argue the need for optimal clinical approach to HIV-infected patients with respiratory lesions for various physicians (general practitioners, pulmonologists and phthisiatricians).