Cytomegalovirus retinitis in persons with AIDS

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Almost one third of persons with AIDS acquire retinitis caused by the opportunistic cytomegalovirus (CMV). Both ganciclovir and foscamet have been approved for treatment of CMV retinitis and are equally effective. However, their side effects are not the same, and each may have a different impact on the overall course of HIV infection and AIDS. The drug chosen should be administered promptly when sight-threatening disease is diagnosed to ensure maximal vision for the longest time.

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Henry H. Balfour

Henry H. Balfour Jr, MD Dr Balfour is professor, department of laboratory medicine and pathology and department of pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School—Minneapolis. He has an enduring interest in the pathogenesis and treatment of viral infections in immunocompromised hosts and is currently Principal Investigator of the Minnesota AIDS Clinical Trials Unit sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.