ABSTRACT
The most recent estimates (2017) suggest that 37 million adults are living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Pulmonary complications from HIV disease is the major cause of morbidity and mortality, with 60% of affected individuals experiencing at least one significant HIV episode of pulmonary disease during their lifetime. Complications range from pulmonary infections especially from opportunistic infections to tumors to interstitial lung diseases. The alveolar macrophages are an important reservoir for HIV in the lung. Both cellular and humoral lung immunity is impaired in HIV. Individuals with mild immunosuppression typically develop more frequent respiratory infections than the normal population. There is also a greater prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, interstitial lung disease, and pulmonary hypertension (PAH). Those with advanced, more profound immunosuppression tend to develop more opportunistic infections and opportunistic malignancies. The risk of these is dramatically reduced by treatment with antiretrovirals.
