Overview of infectious diseases and other nonmalignant conditions in the acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Treatment of an AIDS patient with opportunistic infections is clearly complicated by the immunological and nutritional deficiencies associated with the syndrome. Clinical control of some individual infections may be achieved with traditional or investigational measures, but relapse or appearance of another serious infection may be expected within months in most patients. While progress has been made in the treatment of infections such as those discussed in this paper and elsewhere in this symposium, 'successful' treatment of an opportunistic infection in a patient with AIDS is comparable to achieving a remission in a patient's cancer. Such 'successful' treatment in no way implies cure or even control of the acquired immune deficiency itself.