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other virus
Dec 8, 2007
hi, can a common cold lead to pnumonia with hiv. ? If the t cells are high above 500, is the person considered as healthy as a non-hiv person to fight off other infections?
thanks, gayle from ny
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Response from Dr. Daar
Hi Gayle from NY. Complicated questions. The bottom line is that there are many viruses that can cause pneumonia in people with or without HIV. The good news is that pneumonia from viruses that cause the "common cold" are relatively rare in both groups.
With regards to the health of HIV-infected people with >500 T cells. The immune system in these individuals is not completely normal and they may still be at increased risk for select infection. This is partly why it is recommended that they receive vaccines against influenza, the bacteria pneumococcus, and be monitored closely for exposure or infection with tuberculosis. That said, people with high T cells are pretty darn healthy and with good medical care should do great.
Best,
Eric
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