Abstract
Diarrhea is the most common gastrointestinal symptomof AIDS, affecting 50–90% of patients with a very lowCD4 lymphocyte count (1). Together with malabsorptionand weight loss, it identifies the so-called wasting syn-drome frequently reported during HIV infection (2). Theorigin of these symptoms is still uncertain since failure toidentify an enteric pathogen occurs in as many as 30–40%of all cases. AIDS enteropathy has, thus, been definedas chronic, well-established diarrhea, lasting longer than1 month, for which no infectious cause can be determinedafteracompleteevaluationincludingelectronmicroscopyof the small bowel, in patients with documented advancedHIV infection (3–6).The nosologic concept of an HIV enteropathy is sup-ported by the detection of HIV proteins and nucleic acidsin various cell types of the gut, such as epithelial cells, butalso lymphocytes and macrophages. Although HIV itselfdoesnotseemtodirectlyinfectenterocytes,itmayhaveanindirect effect via cytokines released from infected lym-phoid cells, leading to villous atrophy and crypt atrophy,or, on the contrary, to hyperplasia, and possibly resultingin malabsorption, diarrhea, and weight loss (1, 3, 7).
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call