R.V. is a 28-year-old HIV-positive man recently hospitalized for evaluation of symptoms of progressive weakness, dyspnea, weight loss, and low-grade fever. A biopsy of R.V.'s lung tissue reveals Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. This diagnosis means that R.V.

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Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is an opportunistic infection that occurs in individuals with weakened immune systems, including those with AIDS. Therefore, the diagnosis means that R.V. has AIDS. It is not possible to determine how long R.V. has to live or whether he was an intravenous drug abuser based solely on the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. However, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics.

RV Is a 28-Year-Old HIV-Positive Man Recently Hospitalized for Evaluation