The meninges are layers of tissue which envelope the surface of the brain and spinal cord and carry a lot of the superficial vasculature which feeds the central nervous system. When these tissues become irritated or infected, the resulting inflammation is called meningitis. There are many infectious organisms associated with meningitis, but the purpose of this post is to explore cryptococcal (“crypto”) meningitis in the context of HIV/AIDS. Read more  

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a tricky bug. Our bodies use a barrage of immune mechanisms to combat bacteria, viruses and the like, but HIV-1 just happens to target one of the primary immune modulators – the CD4+ T cell. By eliminating this “helper” cell, the body’s overall immune response becomes severely compromised and is at risk for opportunistic infections. Read more  

I thought HIV’s genome was mapped ages ago. Much to my surprise, one of the top medical headlines this past week was just this. I guess it’s better late than never. Read more