Clinical features: chronic, watery diarrhea (lasting > 1 month) with nausea and abdominal pains; typically at CD4 counts < 100
Diagnostics: acid-fast oocysts in stool
Esophageal candidiasis or pulmonary candidiasis
Oropharyngeal candida, which is not AIDS-defining, is more common as CD4 counts decline, and may be seen when CD4 count is < 200–250.
Neutrophils are the most important immune cell in the defense against invasive Candida infection; therefore, patients with neutropenia (eg, following cytotoxic chemotherapy) are at high risk for invasive disease (eg, candidemia, meningitis). In contrast, T lymphocytes are more important for prevention of superficial, mucocutaneous infection (eg, thrush).