Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.16.2 (PCP)
 3,761 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

AIDS is a reliably diagnosed disease that is indicative of an underlying cellular immunodeficiency with no other cause for the disorder. To date over 2000 cases have been reported in North America and Europe and the number is rising. Patients fulfilling the definition for AIDS have included male homosexuals, IV drug abusers of both sexes, people from Haiti, heterosexual partners of AIDS patients, hemophiliacs, and some patients who fit no particular pattern. The etiology has been attributed to factors acting singly or in synergy namely that repeated exposure to CMV, semen, or other antigens results in progressive cellular immunodeficiency, or alternatively, a novel virus has an etiologic role. The epidemiology of the syndrome suggests a horizontally transmissible agent. The spectrum of opportunistic infections observed in AIDS patients is well documented. A higher incidence of KS as well as squamous carcinoma of the oral cavity, cloacogenic carcinoma of the rectum, primary lymphomas of the brain, and systemic Burkitt's-like lymphoma has been noted. Seventy-one patients with AIDS were examined and followed during the course of their disease. Forty-one patients had definite retinal lesions at the time of examination. The most common intraretinal finding was CMV retinitis which displayed the typical white, crumbly areas of retinal necrosis and hemorrhage. Optic nerve involvement was quite common. The development of retinitis was a harbinger of eventual death as it was a progressive and a nontreatable disorder, lasting about 6 months. The second most common retinal finding was cotton wool spots, the lesions were usually present during the course of PCP and were due to microvascular damage in the retina from circulating immune complexes. No organisms were demonstrated in the retina. One AIDS patient who had been an IV drug abuser developed fungal retinitis due to Candida albicans. The patient eventually died from Candida sepsis. One patient had acquired toxoplasmosis retinochoroiditis. Examination revealed a large active intraretinal focus of infection. No other retinal lesion was noted. The patient, a homosexual, died from a toxoplasmosis brain abscess. The patient with AIDS is in a continuing struggle for survival against a myriad assortment of opportunistic infectious agents. Careful initial ophthalmological examination and long-term follow-up are mandatory.
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PMID:The retinal lesions of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. 610 Jan 47

An update is presented on some of the treatment developments for opportunistic infections (OIs) associated with HIV infection. Treatments discussed include clarithromycin and clofazimine for treatment of mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), azithromycin for prevention of MAC, fluconazole for prevention of fungal infections, MSL109 for treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis, and two new approaches for the treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma. Azithromycin's positive role in preventing PCP provides evidence of new directions in multiple OI prevention approaches.
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PMID:Opportunistic infections update. 1136 99

A new study to be presented at the 12th World AIDS Conference demonstrates that IL-2 dramatically restores immune function in people with AIDS. The study group included patients with fewer than 200 CD4-cells and a history of severe AIDS-related complications including CMV retinitis, PCP, wasting syndrome, KS, and Cryptococcal meningitis. In the study, CD4 counts rose 96 percent when IL-2 was added to protease inhibitor therapy. The increases were sustained, and naive cells increased as well. Most common side effects included fever, fatigue, sinus congestion, and headache; most side effects stopped within 24 hours of completing the treatment cycle. The findings represent new hope for people whose immune systems are substantially compromised. Contact information is provided.
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PMID:New data on IL-2. 1136 33

We retrospectively reviewed 205 HIV-infected patients, who came at first entry from January 2001 to December 2002 to the Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The aged range was 21-69 years [mean 37.25 years (+/- SD) 8.1]. Subjects were mainly in the age group 35-44 years. The majority of patients were male (82%), Chinese (55.1%), single (55.6%), resided in Kuala Lumpur (55.1%), and were unemployed (57.1%). The most frequent routes of transmission were sexual contact (78.5%), followed by IDUs (30%), blood transfusion (5%), and unknown (0.5%). Oral candidiasis was the most common mucocutaneous disease and significant co-existence was found with the main opportunistic systemic diseases, such as TB, PCP, toxoplasmic encephalitis, penicillosis, and CMV retinitis (p < 0.05). In this study, the range of CD4 counts was 0-910, with a median of 35 cells/mm3. Significant associations between a CD4 level less than 100 cells/mm3 at the time of diagnosis, and the occurrence of major opportunistic diseases, such as candidiasis, TB, PCP, TE, herpes simplex infection, CMV retinitis, penicillosis, and histoplasmosis were found (p < 0.05) in this study.
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PMID:Spectrum of opportunistic infections among HIV-infected patients in Malaysia. 1590 30