Opportunistic infection

Overview
Opportunistic infections are infections caused by organisms that usually do not cause disease in a person with a healthy immune system, but can affect people with a poorly functioning or suppressed immune system. They need an "opportunity" to infect a person.

Causes
Immunodeficiency or immunosuppression can be caused by:
 * Malnutrition
 * Recurrent infections
 * Immunosuppressing agents for organ transplant recipients
 * Chemotherapy for cancer
 * AIDS or HIV-infection
 * Genetic predisposition
 * Skin damage
 * Antibiotic treatment
 * Medical procedures

Types of infections
These infections include:


 * Pneumocystis jirovecii, previously known as Pneumocystis carinii f. hominis
 * Candida albicans
 * Staphylococcus aureus
 * Streptococcus pyogenes
 * Pseudomonas aeruginosa
 * Acinetobacter baumanni
 * Toxoplasma gondii
 * Cytomegalovirus
 * Aspergillus sp.
 * Kaposi's Sarcoma

Treatment
Treatment depends on the type of opportunistic infection, but usually involves different antibiotics.

Related Chapters

 * HIV opportunistic infections