Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International

Background: Human Immunodeficiency virus patients with AIDS defined opportunistic infections with Pneumocystis jiroveci, cryptoccocal, disseminated TB, cytomegalovirus, and cytomegalovirus associated retinitis, and cryptospordiasis.

Objective: To determine the frequency of AIDS defining opportunistic infections in hospitalized HIV infected patients.

Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted from 21st October 2018 to 20th April 2019 at Department of Medicine, Civil Hospital, Karachi. Total 154 diagnosed patients of HIV were included. For diagnosis of various AIDS defining illness, clinical, radiological and bacteriological evidence of disseminated tuberculosis chronic cough, and weight loss diagnosed by AFB smear/ gene experts. Pneumocystis jiroveci was diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage and CD4 counts. Cryptosporidiosis with watery diarrhea and stool sample microscopy, cerebral toxoplasmosis with headache, hemiparesis, vomiting, diagnosed by serology and cytomegalovirus retinitis with blurred vision diplopia, vision impairment and Cryptococcal meningitis with fever >98.6oF. Headache, stiff neck, photophobia diagnosed by microscopy, culture, or antigen was done. Descriptive statistics were calculated and stratification was done. Post stratification chi square test was applied. P value ≤0.05 was taken as significant.

Results: There were 71.4% male and 28.6% female patient. The mean HIV duration was 15.25±5.09 months. The overall mean CD4 count was 174.17±12.85/cumm. 18.8% patient were found with disseminated tuberculosis, 31.2% with pneumocystis pneumonia, 12.3% with cerebral toxoplasmosis, 18.2% with cryptococcal meningitis, 3.9% with cryptospordiasis and 14.9% with cytomegalovirus retinitis.

Conclusion: Pneumocystis pneumonia was the most prevalent infection followed by disseminated tuberculosis, cryptococcal meningitis, cytomegalovirus retinitis, cerebral toxoplasmosis, and cryptospordiasis.