liver and gallbladder disorders
Narrowing of the Bile Ducts Due to AIDS
Introduction
People with Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) tend to develop certain unusual infections because their immune system is weakened. Such infections are called opportunistic infections because they take advantage of a weakened immune system. These infections can cause the bile ducts to narrow—a disorder called AIDS cholangiopathy. Usually, the ducts eventually become inflamed and scarred. Bile is a fluid that is produced by the liver and aids in digestion. Bile is transported through small tubes (bile ducts) that carry bile through the liver and then from the liver to the gallbladder and to the small intestine. (See also Overview of Gallbladder and Bile Duct Disorders and figure Before medications to treat HIV infection (antiretroviral therapy) were widely used, AIDS cholangiopathy developed in about one fourth of people with AIDS. The disorder causes pain in the upper right and upper middle parts of the abdomen. If the infection affects the small intestine, people also have diarrhea. A few people have fever and Jaundice in Adults (a yellowish discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes). 