title: Opportunistic infections in hospitalized HIV-infected adults in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: The HIV epidemic is emerging rapidly in Vietnam. We studied the prevalence of opportunistic infections by performing clinical and microbiological investigations in 100 hospitalized HIV-infected adults in Ho Cho Minh City, Vietnam. The median CD4 count was 20 cells/mm(3) and in-hospital mortality was 28%. The most frequent diagnoses were oral candidiasis (54), tuberculosis (37), wasting syndrome (34), lower respiratory tract infection (13), cryptococcosis (9), and penicilliosis (7). Bacterial (other than tuberculosis) and parasitic infections were uncommon. Regional differences should be considered when deciding which diagnostic procedures and prophylactic measures to implement. In Vietnam, routine mycobacterial blood cultures do not provide greater yield than chest radiography and sputum and lymph node aspirate smears. Prophylactic trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole against Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia may confer little benefit, and high rates of isoniazid resistance may affect the efficacy and feasibility of tuberculosis chemoprophylaxis. However, the usefulness of itraconazole prophylaxis for cryptococcosis and penicilliosis merits further consideration.
authors.affiliation: Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, 74 New Montgomery Street, Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA. JLouie@dhs.ca.gov
authors.forename: Janice K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Louie
authors.forename: Nguyen Huu
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Le Thi Thu
authors.initials: le TT
authors.lastname: Thao
authors.forename: Vo Minh
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Quang
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Nguyen Van Vinh
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.forename: George W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.forename: Jeremy J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Farrar
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Parry
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents