title: Spectrum of opportunistic infections in hospitalized HIV-infected patients in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
abstract: The aim of the study was to provide more comprehensive data on the clinical characteristics of hospitalized AIDS patients in Cambodia. Chart review of 381 HIV-infected patients admitted to a public hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia between December 1999 and May 2000 was performed. The in-hospital mortality rate was 43.6%. Approximately 50% of patients had two or more concurrent illnesses. Very advanced HIV disease was common, with CD4 cell counts below 10 cells/mm(3) in 43.2%. Only 28.3% of the patients had documentation of their HIV infection prior to hospitalization. Chronic diarrhoea was the most frequent opportunistic illness (41.2%), followed by tuberculosis (26%), cryptococcal meningitis (12.6%), Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (8.4%), and encephalitis (4.7%). Chronic diarrhoea and tuberculosis were the most important opportunistic infections observed in HIV-infected hospitalized patients in Cambodia. These findings illustrate the need for early diagnosis of HIV-infection, effective prophylaxis for opportunistic infections and improved access to antiretroviral therapy in Cambodia.
authors.affiliation: Preah Bat Norodom Sihanouk Hospital, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
authors.forename: Chhin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Senya
authors.forename: Akanksha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Joseph I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Harwell
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pugatch
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Flanigan
authors.forename: Kenneth H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Mayer
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002160:Cambodia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016919:Meningitis, Cryptococcal / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology