Table 2– Common radiographical appearances of pulmonary infections in HIV patients

Chest radiograph or CT abnormality	Acute or subacute onset	Chronic onset
Focal consolidation	Any organism, but especially pyogenic bacteria Legionellosis	Mycobacteriosis Nocardiosis Fungi (aspergillosis, endemic fungal infections, cryptococcosis)
Diffuse interstitial infiltrate	Pneumocystis jirovecii Bacteria, especially Haemophilus influenzae (influenza, CMV)	Mycobacteriosis Fungal pneumonia, especially cryptococcal Toxoplasmosis CMV
Nodules	Tuberculosis Fungi (cryptococosis, aspergillosis) Bacteria	Nocardiosis Fungi
Adenopathy	Tuberculosis	Mycobacteriosis Endemic fungal infections
Cavitary infiltrate	Tuberculosis Staphylococcus aureus (IDU) Fungi Anaerobes Pseudomonas aeruginosa Legionellosis	Mycobacteriosis Nocardiosis Fungi Rhodococcus equi
Pleural effusion	Pyogenic bacteria Fungi Tuberculosis	Fungi Nocardiosis
Pneumothorax	Pneumocystis jirovecii

CT: computed tomography; CMV: cytomegalovirus; IDU: intravenous drug users. Patients with acute, subacute or chronic onset have <1 week, 1–4 weeks or >4 weeks of symptoms, respectively.