Study of infections among human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients in Shadan Hospital, Telangana, India.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemicity is a major concern today as it causes greater loss of productivity than any other disease. HIV infection leads to profound immune deficiency and patients become highly susceptible to opportunistic infections (OIs). HIV epidemic in India is heterogeneous in nature, both in terms of routes of transmission as well as geographical spread.

AIMS: (1) Determine prevalence of OIs among HIV-seropositive patients and their relation to CD4 count and to focus on the routes of transmission. (2) Analyze the route of transmission.

METHODS: This is a single-center prospective study including all the patients attending acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) care center during the period of January 2014 to December 2014.

RESULTS: Among 71 patients included in this study, mean age was 30 years, 57.7% (41 patients) were male, 42.3% (30 patients) were female. Mean CD4 cell count of the study group was 260.11 and of patients on antiretroviral therapy increased subsequently to 553.37 cells/ml. Among the infections, the prevalence of candidiasis, tuberculosis (TB), tinea infections, seborrheic dermatitis, giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis, and Entamoeba histolytica were 36.6%, 29.58%, 4.22%, 2.82%, 4.22%, 1.4%, and 1.4%. Most predominant routes were heterosexual transmission at 94.3%. It was followed by vertical transmission seen in 2.8%. Homosexual transmission is 1.4% and intravenous drug abuse 1.4%.

CONCLUSION: The frequency of infections among HIV/AIDS patients has got a similar linear relation with CD4 cell count. This study reports data will serve as a matrix for future evaluation. It is concluded that candidiasis, TB are the most common infections in the HIV-seropositive patients in the present study group.