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Sequencing of Bacterial Microflora in Peripheral Blood: our Experience with HIV-infected Patients
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Published on: June 11, 2011

Current trends of opportunistic infections among HIV-seropositive patients from Eastern India

Nilanjan Chakraborty1, Anirban Mukherjee, Santanu Santra

  • 1Indian Council of Medical Research, Virus Unit, Kolkata, ID and BG Hospital, Kolkata, India. nilanjan_19@yahoo.com

Japanese Journal of Infectious Diseases
|January 26, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Opportunistic infections (OIs) are common in immunocompromised patients in India, with oral candidiasis being the most frequent. OI occurrence inversely correlates with CD4+ blood cell counts, emphasizing the need for localized HIV/AIDS research.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Opportunistic infections (OIs) pose a significant threat to immunocompromised individuals.
  • Understanding the spectrum of OIs is crucial for managing immunocompromised patient populations, especially in resource-limited settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the clinical and laboratory profiles of opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients in Eastern India.
  • To identify common opportunistic pathogens and their relationship with CD4+ cell counts.

Main Methods:

  • Clinical and laboratory data were collected from 125 immunocompromised patients.
  • Pathogen isolation, identification, and characterization were performed using gold standard laboratory methods.

Main Results:

  • Oral candidiasis (88%) was the most prevalent OI, followed by tuberculosis (57%) and enteropathogenic Vibrio (47%).
  • A median CD4+ blood cell count of 120/cumm was observed.
  • Opportunistic infections showed an inverse correlation with CD4+ cell counts.

Conclusions:

  • The study highlights a specific pattern of OIs in immunocompromised patients in India.
  • Awareness of these locally prevalent opportunistic pathogens is essential for effective HIV/AIDS management and public health planning in resource-limited regions.

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