IRIS
Medical abbreviation · Infectious Disease
| Stands for | Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
IRIS stands for Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, an infectious disease abbreviation.
Paradoxical worsening of an infection, or unmasking of a hidden one, after antiretroviral therapy restores the immune system in people with advanced HIV. It typically appears within the first three months of ART and is most often linked to tuberculosis, cryptococcal meningitis and MAC.
Example: Two weeks after starting ART, new fever and enlarging lymph nodes on TB therapy: likely TB-IRIS, add prednisone.
Usage notes
The recovering immune system mounts a strong inflammatory response against pathogens it previously ignored. Because IRIS in the brain can be fatal, ART is delayed for about four to six weeks after starting treatment for cryptococcal meningitis. Corticosteroids help in moderate TB-IRIS. Pronounced "EYE-ris", like the eye structure.
Related abbreviations
More infectious disease abbreviations
- HSV – Herpes simplex virus
- HZ – Herpes zoster
- IDSA – Infectious Diseases Society of America
- IGRA – Interferon-gamma release assay
- IIV – Inactivated influenza vaccine
- ILI – Influenza-like illness
- KS – Kaposi sarcoma
- LAIV – Live attenuated influenza vaccine
- LTBI – Latent tuberculosis infection
- MAC – Mycobacterium avium complex
- MDR-TB – Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis
- MDRO – Multidrug-resistant organism
See all 92 infectious disease abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.