Related Experiment Videos
Bone marrow findings in HIV infection: a pathological study
Insights
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection causes distinct bone marrow changes, including hypercellularity and myelodysplasia. These histopathologic findings aid in diagnosing HIV-1 infection and its complications.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Virology
- Pathology
Background:
- Bone marrow examination is crucial for assessing hematologic abnormalities in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection.
- Understanding histopathologic changes in HIV-1 infection aids in diagnosis and management of associated complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the spectrum of bone marrow histopathologic changes in patients with HIV-1 infection.
- To correlate these changes with the stage of HIV-1 infection and identify opportunistic infections or neoplastic complications.
Main Methods:
- Histopathologic analysis of bone marrow biopsies from 73 patients at various stages of HIV-1 infection.
- Biopsies were performed due to peripheral blood abnormalities, suspected lymphoma, or to identify specific pathogens.
Main Results:
- Common findings included hypercellularity (67%), myelodysplasia (86.1%), plasmacytosis (98.6%), and lymphocytic infiltration (31.1%).
- Increased reticulin fibers (54.7%), iron deposits, vascular congestion, and serous atrophy of fat were also frequent.
- Opportunistic infections (Mycobacterium avium intracellulare, Cryptococcus neoformans, Toxoplasma gondii, Leishmania) and lymphomas (Burkitt, Hodgkin's disease) were identified in 7 patients.
Conclusions:
- Histopathologic changes in bone marrow are characteristic of HIV-1 infection, though non-pathognomonic.
- Bone marrow biopsy is valuable for diagnosing HIV-1 related complications, including opportunistic infections and malignancies.
- Bone marrow hypoplasia can be a terminal event in Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Abstract:
The histopathologic changes of bone marrow during infection with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) are described. Bone marrow biopsies from 73 patients at different stages of HIV-1 infection were studied. Indications for biopsy included peripheral blood abnormalities, suspicion of lymphoma, or search for specific pathogens. Common histopathological features, suggestive of HIV-1 infection but nonpathognomonic were hypercellularity (67%), myelodysplasia (86.1%), plasmacytosis (98.6%), lymphocytic infiltration (31.1%) and histiocytic infiltration with or without granulomata (13.7%). Increases in reticulin fibers (54.7%), and stainable iron deposits, vascular congestion and serous atrophy of fat were frequent features. Opportunistic infections and neoplastic complications were detected in 7 cases: pathogens were demonstrated in 4 cases (Mycobacterium avium intracellulare (MAI), Cryptococcus neoformans, Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania) and lymphoma in 3 cases (1 Burkitt lymphoma and 2 Hodgkin's disease). Bone marrow hypoplasia is usually a terminal event in AIDS and may be iatrogenic.