title: Current scenario of opportunistic and co-infections in HIV-infected individuals at a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai, India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An update on opportunistic infections/co-infections (OIs/CIs) is essential to understand the success of highly active antiretroviral therapy offered by the government agencies in reducing AIDS-related OIs/CIs. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the frequency of OIs/CIs in HIV-positive individuals at a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai. Its' association with CD4 counts, anti-retroviral treatment and on HIV transmission was also determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational study was designed to evaluate different OIs/CIs in individuals, who tested positive for HIV infection at the ICTC/Shakti Clinic of Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai. Data analysis was done with the use of SPSS software (version 19.0, SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). P value was considered significant if it is < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Heterosexual contact was the major route of transmission among the enrolled 185 individuals. Ninety (48.06%) HIV-infected individuals were with OIs/CIs. Tuberculosis (TB) was the most common OI (68.8%). Other CIs noted were Herpes zoster, syphilis, hepatitis C and B, malaria, typhoid and dengue. The median CD4 count in HIV-positive individuals with TB was 337 ± 248 cells/μl, and 67.7% of individuals with OIs/CIs had low CD4 counts (<400 cells/μl). Individuals in 31-40 years of age group had significantly (P = 0.01) more OIs/CIs. More (53.7%) spouse/children of HIV-positive individuals without OIs/CIs were HIV-1 positive. Low proportions of individuals with or without OIs/CIs were on ART.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nearly half of HIV-infected individuals were with OIs/CIs. Initiation of free ART programme since 2004 possibly associated with the type and rate of OIs/CIs. Tuberculosis and multiple OIs/CIs were associated with low CD4 counts. Infection was high in 31-40 years age group. Most of the spouses of individuals without OIs/CIs were HIV positive, indirectly indicates lack of condom use or lack of awareness of condom use.
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Chavan
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chaudhary
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ahir
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Mavani
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kerkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases Biology , National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pramanik
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents