COMPLICATIONS OF HIV

Without treatment, HIV can progress to advanced HIV or AIDS. People with
AIDS are more susceptible to several types of infection, known as opportunistic
infections, as well as some cancers. Complications arise when a person’s CD4
cell count becomes very low. The person is more likely to develop infections,
certain types of cancer, and other medical complications.
Opportunistic infections
Opportunistic infections are illnesses that are typically mild in people without
HIV, but arise more often and are more severe in people with HIV if they have
a damaged immune system. Common opportunistic infections for people living
with HIV include the following:
 Herpes simplex virus

 Candidiasis

 Salmonella septicaemia
For people with HIV, a Salmonella infection may progress to a severe
form called Salmonella septicaemia that spreads to the bloodstream.
  Pneumonia

 Tuberculosis

Certain cancers
 Kaposi sarcoma is rare in people who do not have HIV. It causes
tumours in the walls of the blood vessels that appear as pink, purple,
or black lesions on the skin.

 Invasive cervical cancer begins in the cervix, which is the bottom

section of the uterus. Without treatment, it can spread to nearby
 organs and other areas of the body

 Lymphomas are cancers that affect the white blood cells and lymph
nodes.