Gastrointestinal mucosal biopsy in HIV disease and AIDS.

The role of the gastroenterologist as consultant for patients with HIV infection is reviewed, with a particular focus on when endoscopy with biopsy may be helpful in the diagnostic evaluation. Suggestions on where to biopsy, how to collect samples, and what pathologies might be anticipated are included. In the clinical setting of new antiviral therapies, there has been a dramatic change in the etiologic factors for common presentations such as diarrhea. A review of suspect infections and malignancies is included.