Pneumocystis Pneumonia in Previously Undiagnosed Advanced HIV/AIDS and Importance of HIV Screening

The diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in its late stages, also known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), leads to increased morbidity and mortality. This is mostly due to the time given for opportunistic infections to arise, which present with their own complications. In this case report, we present an otherwise healthy 38-year-old male, who presented with general systemic symptoms and was later found to have HIV and AIDS, ultimately resulting in his death during this hospital admission. This case report will discuss HIV-associated opportunistic infections, focusing more on <i>Pneumocystis jirovecii</i> pneumonia (PCP), and the following complications that arose during the course of this patient's hospitalization. The overarching goal of this case report is to highlight the importance of routine HIV screening in the United States in efforts to decrease mortality from AIDS-related opportunistic infections. In addition to mandating in-hospital screening, educating the public on lifestyle behaviors that can put one at risk for developing HIV is crucial to decreasing the prevalence of cases that go undiagnosed, as well as the disease itself.