Deadly Pneumonia

My journey with HIV started with two bouts of pneumonia. One happened in the first quarter of 2011 and the other at the beginning of the last quarter of the same year. Bout bouts had had the same syptoms --- difficulty in breathing especially with strenous exercises (working out) or non-strenous exercises (regular walking), persistent dry cough and chest pains. I was brought to the emergency twice, the first I got discharged the same day and was just prescribed with some prophylaxis. The second one, I was confined because two of my lungs had been affected. During the second confinement, my heart rate was high and my oxygen level in blood was low. I was on a respirator for 9 days. After they found out that I had pneumocystis carinii and was given medications, my symptoms normalized. Doctors said I was lucky. The rest is history.

Now, everytime I would go to RITM-ARG and see people with the same condition that I had before, I always think of myself. I always remember that our virus is that deadly if not diagnosed fast and if people are not knowledgeable about the opportunistic infections, like pneumonia. Everytime I encounter a person who has it, I always make it a point to tell hi or her that everything will be alright, and the OI is treatable. I can really attest to it.

I researched about it and I found this out from the net:

Reposted from: www.livestrong.com/article/250827-what-are-the-causes-of-pneumonia-with-hiv/

So what are the causes of Pneumonia?

The immune system protects the body from infections. People living with HIV/AIDS have a weakened immune system, which increases their susceptibility to a variety of infections, including pneumonia. The same germs that cause pneumonia in otherwise healthy people pose an increased risk to patients living with HIV/AIDS. Additionally, germs that people with a healthy immune system can easily defend against may cause potentially life-threatening pneumonia in a patient with HIV.

Pneumococcus

Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, remains a leading cause of bacterial pneumonia among people living with HIV/AIDS, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patients infected with HIV have a significantly increased risk for pneumococcal pneumonia compared to the general population. CDC recommends vaccination against pneumococcus for people older than age 2 living with HIV infection.

Pneumocystis Jiroveci

Pneumocystis jirovecii, previously known as Pneumocystis carinii, is a common fungus found in many environments. Although people with a healthy immune system generally do not develop Pneumocystis pneumonia, the fungus poses a significant risk to patients with HIV and a low immune cell count. The incidence of Pneumocystis pneumonia, or PCP, has declined dramatically among the HIV-infected population in the United States due to the use of combination antiretroviral therapy and antibiotics to prevent PCP in those patients at high risk for the infection, reports CDC.

Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes the illness tuberculosis, or TB. People living with HIV infection have an increased risk for active pulmonary tuberculosis. Unlike other HIV-related infections that occur primarily in patients with a low immune cell count, pulmonary tuberculosis can develop in HIV-infected patients with a relatively high immune cell count, reports CDC. Untreated pulmonary tuberculosis can spread to other parts of the body, including the brain and bones.

Coccidioides

Coccidioides fungi inhabit the soil of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. The fungal spores commonly travel in the air and may cause pneumonia and systemic disease in patients with HIV and a low immune cell count. The initial infection develops in the lungs, causing chest pain and coughing. In untreated HIV-infected patients, the fungi may spread to other organs, including the nervous system and bones, reports Dr. Judith Aberg of New York University on the medical information website HIV InSite.

Aspergillus

Aspergillus fungal species occur commonly in the environment and may cause severe pneumonia among people living with HIV. A low immune cell count increase the risk for lung invasion by Aspergillus fungi, reports the medical reference text "Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases." The fungi may spread from the lungs to other sites in the body, including the nervous system, liver, kidneys and spleen.


Credits:
www.livestrong.com/article/250827-what-are-the-causes-of-pneumonia-with-hiv/

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