HIV-related diseases

Clinical description

• Tuberculosis (TB) and cryptococcal meningitis (CM) are responsible for a large proportion

of AIDS deaths.

• Many cases are either not diagnosed or diagnosed and treated late.
• Actively screen all PLHIV for CM and TB using clinical symptom checklists and the rapid

diagnostic tests.

• Urine LAM (for disseminated TB) and CrAg (using serum/plasma/whole blood/CSF) tests

are rapid, simple and cheap. A positive result is always an indication to treat.

• A patient on ART who develops a new or worsening HIV-related disease may not be

adherent and/or have drug-resistant HIV. Do a targeted VL to rule out treatment failure.

(See section 18.10 on page 90).