When peolpe die of bronchopneumonia induced by HIV (AIDS) why do they get really skinny? ?

Question

Also I would like to know has anyone ever recovered from it that was able to use the modern drugs that we have to day. Like could had Freddie Mercury been able to fully recover from having bronchopneumonia had he been giving the prohibitors drug that we have to day. Meaning even in the advance AIDS stage. I would assume that these druggs would kill the HIV cells and the good cells would begin to replace the HIV cells and he would of had fully recovered. Also would it only had worked if he just had HIV and not full blown AIDS.

Answer 1

Weight loss is a simple exchange: not enough food in + too much energy out = weight loss. Weight gain is: excess food in + not enough energy out = weight gain.

When someone is sick with pneumonia, they generally have a hard time eating. Its just hard to get enough in when you're struggling to breathe. That's part one : not enough food. Then there is the massive effort, multiplied even more in the HIV or AIDS patient with an already weak immune system, to clear the infection. It takes a lot of energy to fight back against some infections. This is part two: too much energy out. Eventually, the infected person looses weight. Sometimes, they may be able to get nasogastric feeding to provide extra 'food' energy, but this doesn't always work, and may not be an option for some people.

Even with the modern AIDS drugs, a bad infection may still not be survivable. It depends on how bad the infection is, what they're infected with, and how strong their immune system was when they got infected. The further along an infection is, the harder it is to get rid of. Some infectious organisms (bacteria, fungi, etc) are very strong and are hard for the body to fight. That's why young children and the elderly are much more likely to die of 'normal' infections like influenza or the stomach flu. Finally, if the drugs have been working and their immune system is therefore stronger and better than Average Joe HIV or AIDS patient, they would have a better chance than someone not responding well to the drugs. I think an HIV patient has a better chance than with full blown AIDS but of that i'm not sure.