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1999 USPHS/IDSA guidelines for the prevention of opportunistic infections in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus
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August 20, 1999
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Alternative Title:USPHS/IDSA guidelines for the prevention of opportunistic infections in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus;Guidelines for the prevention of opportunistic infections in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus;Recommendations to help patients avoid exposure to opportunistic pathogens;
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Description:In 1995, the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) developed guidelines for preventing opportunistic infections (OIs) in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). These guide- lines, written for health-care providers and patients, were revised in 1997 and published in the MMWR, Clinical Infectious Diseases, the Annals of Internal Medicine, the American Family Physician, and Pediatrics; an accompany- ing editorial appeared in JAMA. Response to these guidelines (e.g., the many requests for reprints and observations from health-care providers) suggests they have served as a valuable reference for HIV care providers. Because the 1995 and 1997 guidelines included ratings indicating the strength of each recommendation and the quality of supporting evidence, readers were able to assess the relative importance of each recommendation. Since AIDS was first recognized nearly 20 years ago, remarkable progress has been made in improving the quality and duration of life of HIV-infected persons. During the first decade of the epidemic, this improvement occurred because of better recognition of opportunistic disease processes, better therapy for acute and chronic complications, and the introduction of chemoprophylaxis against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), toxoplasmosis, Mycobacterium avium complex disease, and bacte- rial infections. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was shown to reduce not only the incidence of PCP but also of toxoplasmosis and bacterial infections. The second decade of the epidemic has witnessed extraordinary progress in developing highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAART) as well as continuing progress in preventing and treating individual OIs. HAART has reduced the incidence of OIs and extended life substantially. HAART is the most effective approach to preventing OIs and should be considered for all HIV-infected persons who qualify for such therapy. However, some patients are not ready or able to take HAART, and others have tried HAART regimens, but therapy has failed. Such patients will benefit from prophylaxis against OIs. In addition, prophylaxis against specific OIs continues to provide survival benefits even among persons who are receiving HAART. Because important new data concerning the prevention of opportunistic diseases have emerged since 1997, the USPHS and the IDSA reconvened the Prevention of Opportunistic Infections Working Group on March 4 and 5, 1999, to determine which recommendations warranted revision. Participants included representatives from federal agencies, universities, and professional societies, as well as community health-care providers and patient advocates. Much attention was focused on recent data related to the advisability of discontinuing OI prophylaxis (primary prophylaxis and prophylaxis against recurrence) among persons whose CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts have increased to above prophylaxis thresholds because of HAART. The OI Working Group also addressed two pathogens not previously considered--human herpesvirus type 8 and hepatitis C virus. In addition, working group members reviewed data concerning the prevention of all common HIV-associated OIs. In revising these current guidelines, as in earlier editions of the guidelines, the group considered factors such as incidence of disease; severity of disease in terms of morbidity and mortality; level of immunosuppression at which disease is most likely to occur; feasibility, efficacy, and cost of preventive measures; impact of intervention on quality of life; and drug toxicities, drug interactions, and the potential for drug resistance to develop.
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Content Notes:U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) and nfectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).
The following CDC staff member prepared this report: Jonathan E. Kaplan, Division of AIDS, STD, and TB Laboratory Research, National Center for Infectious Diseases; and ivision of HIV/AIDS Prevention-Surveillance and Epidemiology National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention; in collaboration with: Henry Masur, National Institutes of Health, King K. Holmes, University of Washington, USPHS/IDSA Prevention of Opportunistic Infections Working Group.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 35-39).
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