Septicaemia in patients with AIDS.
During a 5 year period at St Stephen's hospital, London, septicaemia was detected in 66 patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and in 13 other patients with non-AIDS-associated HIV infections. The most frequent pathogens in patients with AIDS were Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Cryptococcus neoformans and staphylococci. A series of HIV-associated septicaemias reported from other centres in different countries has shown great variation in the pattern of aetiological agents observed, which may partly reflect differences in the local socio-economic condition, ethnic backgrounds, other predisposing factors, and blood culture techniques. Salmonella species were a prominent cause of septicaemia in several reports. Most centres have also reported an increasing problem with septicaemias associated with intravenous lines in patients receiving antiviral or other parenteral drug therapy.
Department of Medical Microbiology, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, London, UK.
D C
DC
Shanson
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications*