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HIV / AIDS

Infectious Disease · ~7% of blueprint
Pathophysiology
Retrovirus infects CD4+ T cells → progressive immunodeficiency; AIDS when CD4 <200 or an AIDS-defining illness.
Signs & Symptoms
Acute retroviral (flu-like) syndrome → latency → opportunistic infections as CD4 falls.
Gold Standard Diagnosis
4th-generation HIV Ag/Ab combo immunoassay → confirmatory testing; viral load & CD4 for staging.
First-line Treatment
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all patients regardless of CD4; OI prophylaxis by CD4 count.
Drug cardsDolutegravirTrimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole
High-Yield Pearl

Treat all HIV patients with ART regardless of CD4; start PCP prophylaxis (TMP-SMX) when CD4 <200.

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Sources

Reviewed September 2026
  1. Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Adults and Adolescents with HIV — HHS / NIH Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council (Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents), 2025
  2. Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents With HIV — Pneumocystis Pneumonia — HHS / NIH (Panel on Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV), 2026
  3. Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines — Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Diagnostic Considerations) — U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021

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