Lymph node enlargement in AIDS patients mainly manifests as persistent enlargement of multiple lymph nodes throughout the body, in addition to various opportunistic infections and malignant tumors.
AIDS, also known as human acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is a systemic disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
The characteristics of lymph node enlargement in AIDS patients are as follows: long duration, mostly more than 3 months; enlargement of 2 or more lymph nodes in the whole body except the inguinal area; lymph nodes ≥ 1 cm in diameter, without pressure and pain, and without mutual adhesion.
The specificity of lymph node enlargement in patients with AIDS is low, which is not enough to make a definite diagnosis, and the typical clinical manifestations of patients with AIDS are still various opportunistic infections and malignant tumors. Common opportunistic infections include sporotrichosis pneumonia, fungal pneumonia, cryptococcal meningitis, and various bacterial or fungal enteritis. The most common malignant tumor is Kaposi’s sarcoma, which is a very malignant tumor that greatly shortens the survival period of AIDS patients.
Patients suspected of having AIDS are advised to go to the hospital as soon as possible to get a clear diagnosis and timely treatment under the guidance of professional doctors to avoid further deterioration of the condition.