Question

The patient with HIV has been diagnosed with Candida albicans, an opportunistic infection. The nurse knows the patient needs more teaching when she says,

1. "I will be given amphotericin B to treat the fungus."
2. "I got this fungus because I am immunocompromised."
3. "I need to be isolated from my family and friends so they won't get it."
4. "The effectiveness of my therapy can be monitored with fungal serology titers."

Answer 1

The effectiveness of therapy for a Candida albicans infection in HIV/AIDS patients is not typically monitored using fungal serology titers, but rather through clinical observations and the patient's response to antifungal treatments, as well as CD4 T cell counts to gauge immune function.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse knows that the patient needs more teaching on their opportunistic infection when the patient believes that the effectiveness of therapy for their Candida albicans infection can be monitored with fungal serology titers. In the case of Candida infections, diagnosis is typically made through clinical observations, culture, Gram stain, and KOH wet mounts, not typically through serological testing. Furthermore, patients with HIV/AIDS are managed differently as they are susceptible to opportunistic mycoses due to a compromised immune system, and monitoring of therapy effectiveness often involves direct observation of clinical improvement and the resolution of symptoms.

For patients with HIV/AIDS, the number of CD4 helper T cells is a crucial indicator of immune system function, monitored via flow cytometry, which can inform treatment plans for opportunistic infections. Rather than relying on serology titers for fungal infections, management and monitoring of Candida infections focus on susceptibility testing for antifungal agents and the patient's response to treatments like azoles or nystatin.