HIV/AIDS

This report provides information about opportunistic infections (OIs) among persons with HIV. It discusses the causes, effects, and treatments available and includes a comparison of costs of treatment and prophylaxis for the most common OIs. It provides recommendations to improve healthcare and prevent OIs among HIV-positive persons.

This brochure provides information on the prevention of infections from pets for persons with HIV. Most persons with HIV can keep their pets but they should know the health risks associated with owning a pet or caring for animals. Animals may carry diseases that if passed to a person with HIV can result in diarrhea, brain infections, and skin lesions.

This report describes an outbreak of drug-susceptible TB that occurred in a South Carolina state correctional facility housing HIV-infected inmates and illustrates the need for increased vigilance for TB in settings in which HIV-infected persons congregate.

This study examined the clinic records of TB programs to determine whether these programs used recommended practices to manage HIV-positive persons exposed to TB. The study suggests that TB programs need to review their contact investigation policies, procedures, and outcomes to reduce missed opportunities for preventing active TB among HIV-positive close contacts.

This report describes World TB Day 2003 activities in 51 countries. The objective of World TB Day 2003 was to involve as many TB patients as possible in activities that encourage people with TB symptoms to seek effective diagnosis and treatment.

This report discusses issues concerning the prevention and treatment of STDs. The report examines the significance of STDs in the transmission of HIV/AIDS, and the history of STD control. It explains the primary and secondary prevention practices for STDs. It provides information about access to STD care in the public and private sectors, categorical STD clinics, general health care structures, and referral services.

This guideline presents updated data about drug interactions between protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors for treatment of HIV infection together with rifamycins for treatment of TB.

This information sheet explains that in order to reduce the transmission of HIV and other blood-borne infections, injecting drug users (IDUs), who cannot or will not stop injecting drugs, must have access to sterile syringes and injection equipment. However, many laws and regulations prohibit IDUs from purchasing these items. Some states have changed these laws and regulations and have seen positive results.

This information sheet discusses the role of pharmacies in efforts to help injecting drug users (IDUs) gain access to sterile syringes and equipment in order to reduce their risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV and other blood-borne diseases.The information sheet lists advantages of pharmacy sales, the barriers to pharmacy sales, the changes that some states have made to legalize pharmacy sales, and suggestions for encouraging more pharmacy sales of syringes to IDUs who will not or cannot stop injecting drugs.

This information sheet supports the use of syringe exchange programs (SEPs) for injecting drug users, who will not or cannot stop injecting drugs, as one method of lowering the risk of IDUs acquiring or transmitting HIV. SEPs allow IDUs to safely dispose of used syringes and obtain sterile ones at no cost and offer prevention and health care education and services. The information sheet discusses the public health impact of SEPs and considers the challenges for SEPs and ways of supporting access to sterile syringes through SEPs.