I hear you knockin' (but you can't come in): potent new HIV therapies are shutting out opportunistic infections

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has positively impacted the epidemiology of opportunistic infections in HIV- infected patients. The following opportunistic infections and their responses to HAART and prophylaxis recommendations are examined: pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease, mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) disease, and fungal diseases. The question of whether opportunistic infection prophylaxis should be continued in persons who respond to HAART is discussed. A table provides recommendations for opportunistic illness prophylaxis, listing the primary choice of therapy for each illness followed by alternative choices of therapy for each illness.