Epidemiology and treatment in patients with HIV in a secondary-level hospital in Mexico

To describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics of patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) at a second-level hospital in Mexico, a descriptive study was conducted based on the review and analysis of 871 clinical records from 2017 to 2023. The results show a predominance of the male sex (91.5%) with ages between 30 and 39 years (45.5%), and a homosexual sexual orientation (68.0%). About 25.4% had an initial CD4 count of <200 cells, 99% received antiretroviral therapy (ART), and subsequently 54.5% had a CD4 count of >500 cells, 88.1% presented with an undetectable viral load, and 1.6% experienced treatment failure. In conclusion, the young, single, homosexual male population is vulnerable to HIV infection. These findings highlight the need to strengthen prevention programs, timely diagnosis, and early treatment, to improve clinical outcomes and reduce HIV transmission.