1. Medical-Surgical Nursing: An Integrated Approach, 2E Chapter 23
NURSING CARE OF THE CLIENT: HIV AND AIDS

2. HIV and AIDS
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), first reported in the U.S. in 1981, is a retrovirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a progressively fatal disease that destroys the immune system and the body’s ability to fight infection.

3. HIV/AIDS Statistics
By the end of 1998, an estimated 33.4 million people in the world were living with HIV/AIDS.
In the U.S., 688,200 cases of AIDS reported by the end of 1998, with as many as 900,000 infected with HIV.

4. Continuum of HIV Disease

5. AIDS-Defining Conditions
Most AIDS-defining conditions are opportunistic infections (infections in persons with a defective immune system that rarely cause harm in healthy individuals).
Pneumocytis carinii pneumonia is the most frequent AIDS-defining condition in the U.S. and Europe.

6. AIDS Testing
The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the basic screening test to detect antibodies of HIV.
A confirmatory test, the Western blot, is always employed when the ELISA is positive.
The two taken together have an extremely high accuracy rate.
Obtaining a signed informed consent for testing is often a nursing responsibility.

7. Demographics of AIDS in the United States
Age (AIDS affects mainly people during the most productive years of their life).
Gender (More men from women, though women’s rates are increasing).
Race (The HIV/AIDS epidemic is growing most rapidly among some minority populations and is a leading cause of death of African American males).

8. Modes of Transmission
The virus may be found in blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk of infected individuals.
No evidence that HIV is spread through sweat, tears, urine, or feces. Risk of infection from “deep kissing” or oral sex is unknown.

9. Medical-Surgical Management
Goal is to keep disease from progressing as long as possible.
Patient monitored by viral load test.
PHARMACOLOGICAL
Goal of anti-HIV treatment is to keep viral load as low as possible for as long as possible.
Use of protease inhibitors.

10. Common Diagnostic Tests for HIV and AIDS
CD4-T-cells
ELISA
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
Western blot

11. Pulmonary Opportunistic Infections
Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia.
Histoplasmosis.
Tuberculosis.

12. Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia
The most common opportunistic infection associated with advanced HIV disease.
Found primarily in the lungs, but also reported in the adrenal glands, bone marrow, skin, thyroid, kidneys, and spleen.
Clinical signs include fever, shortness of breath, nonproductive cough, and crackles.
Initial diagnosis made by chest x-ray.

13. Histoplasmosis
An infection caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. The fungus has been isolated in bird droppings, dirt from chicken coops, and caves.
Histoplasmosis should be suspected if the person presents with fever of uncertain origin, cough, and malaise.

14. Gastrointestinal Opportunistic Infections
Mycobacterium avium complex.
Cytomegalovirus.
Cryptosporidiosis.
Hepatitis.
HIV-wasting syndrome.

15. Mycobacterium avium complex
In persons with AIDS, involvement of the bowel is usually extensive. The microorganism can fill the bone marrow and lymph nodes.
Most common symptoms are chronic fever, malaise, anemia, weight loss, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

16. Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Belongs to the herpes virus group.
Causes disease by destroying the brain, lung, retina, and liver.
Signs and symptoms include weight loss, fever, diarrhea, and malaise.

17. Cryptosporidosis
Caused by a protozoan that usually infects the epithelial cells that line the digestive tract.
Clinical signs include profuse water diarrhea, up to 20 liters a day. Abdominal pain, serious weight loss, abdominal cramping, anorexia, low-grade fever, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and malaise may also be present.

18. Hepatitis
Hepatitis B virus, C virus, and D virus are commonly seen with HIV infection.
Signs and symptoms include malaise, weakness, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and right upper quadrant pain.

19. HIV-Wasting Syndrome
Defined as unexplained weight loss of more than 10% of body weight accompanied by weakness, chronic diarrhea, and fever in those affected with HIV.
Signs and symptoms include anorexia, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, changes in taste and smell, aphthous ulcers of mouth and esophagus, and abdominal pain.

20. Oral Opportunistic Infections
Oral candidiasis (thrush), a fungal infection, is seen in more than 90% of AIDS clients. Symptoms include unpleasant taste, mouth dryness, and creamy, white oral plaques.
Oral Hairy Leukoplakia (OHL) usually appears as a white patch on the lateral borders of the tongue. OHL is not usually bothersome to the client and may regress spontaneously.

21. Gynecological Opportunistic Infections
Vaginal Candidiasis is the most common initial infection occurring in HIV-infected women.
Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) is of a much higher incidence in women affected with HIV.

22. Central Nervous System Opportunistic Infections
AIDS dementia complex.
Toxoplasmosis.
Cryptococcosis.

23. AIDS Dementia Complex
The most common central nervous system complication in persons with AIDS.
This disorder is chronic and progressive with cognitive, motor, and behavioral dysfunction.

24. Toxoplasmosis
Caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, found in cats and other animals.
Clinical signs may be vague and nonspecific, ranging from mild headache, fever, and lethargy to poor coordination, seizures, and coma.

25. Cryptococcosis A fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans.
The most life-threatening fungal infection associated with AIDS.
Clinical symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, photophobia, mental status changes, seizures, and stiff neck.

26. Opportunistic Malignancies: Kaposi’s Sarcoma
A vascular malignancy that can occur any place in the body, including the internal organs.
First lesions often appear subtly on the face or in the oral cavity.

27. Opportunistic Malignancies: Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Clinical manifestations include fever, night sweats, and weight loss.
Treatment of NHL in clients with advanced HIV disease is often withheld, because it is not tolerated well and may even lead to earlier death.