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The prevalence of invasive amebiasis is not increased in patients with AIDS
J Jessurun1, L P Barrón-Rodríguez, G Fernández-Tinoco
1Unidad de Patología, Hospital General de México, Departmento de Patología Facultad de Medicina, UNAM.
Objective:
To determine whether the frequency or severity of invasive amebiasis is increased in patients with AIDS.
Design:
A case-control sampling approach, based on an autopsy registry.
Setting:
General Hospital of Mexico City, Mexico, a large government-supported, tertiary care medical institution.
Patients, Participants:
Ninety-four patients with AIDS and 335 historical and contemporary, age- and sex-matched controls who were defined as dying, but not because of AIDS.
Results:
The odds ratio (OR) for mortality from invasive amebiasis was the same for cases and controls (0.7; 95% confidence interval, 0.07-7.2). By contrast, the OR for other diseases, such as miliary tuberculosis, cytomegalovirus infection, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and toxoplasmosis was greatly increased. Only one patient with AIDS had amebiasis of the common amebic ulcerative colitis type, without extraintestinal involvement.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, we show that the frequency and severity of invasive amebiasis is not increased in Mexican patients with AIDS.
Insights
This study found that invasive amebiasis is not more frequent or severe in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Our findings indicate no increased risk of amebiasis in this population.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
- Public Health
Background:
- Invasive amebiasis is a serious parasitic infection.
- Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) can impair immune function, potentially increasing susceptibility to opportunistic infections.
- The relationship between AIDS and invasive amebiasis requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if patients with AIDS have a higher frequency or severity of invasive amebiasis compared to controls.
- To assess the risk of invasive amebiasis in individuals with AIDS.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted using an autopsy registry.
- Ninety-four patients with AIDS were compared with 335 age- and sex-matched controls who died from non-AIDS related causes.
- Data were analyzed to determine the odds ratio for mortality from invasive amebiasis.
Main Results:
- The odds ratio for mortality from invasive amebiasis was similar between patients with AIDS and controls (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.07-7.2).
- Other opportunistic infections like tuberculosis, cytomegalovirus, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and toxoplasmosis showed significantly increased odds ratios in patients with AIDS.
- Only one patient with AIDS presented with amebiasis, limited to ulcerative colitis without extraintestinal involvement.
Conclusions:
- The frequency and severity of invasive amebiasis are not increased in Mexican patients with AIDS.
- Invasive amebiasis does not appear to be an opportunistic infection that is exacerbated by AIDS in this population.