Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials
Open Access

Abstract

Introduction: The clinical profile of AIDS in India tends to be different from what is seen in the developed world, since the HIV infected individual in India lives in an environment with high prevalence of infectious diseases. Aims & Objectives: Our main objectives were to investigate the occurrence of common opportunistic fungal infections and to evaluate the clinico-epidemiological profile of HIV/AIDS patients with degree of immunodeficiency in these patients. Materials & Methods: Symptomatic HIV positive patients (n=280) of all age groups and both sexes were taken as subjects. Relevant clinical samples were collected and subjected to direct microscopy, culture isolation and serology. Identification and speciation of the isolates was done by the biochemical methods as per standard recommended procedures. Results: There was no specific age distribution; patients belonged to a wide age group from 04 years to 68 years. The CD4 counts ranged from 16-1033 cells/�¼l with a median and mean CD4 count of 204.50 cells/�¼l and 265.48 cells/�¼l. Fungi were detected in 140 (59.82%) patients with Candida species (C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata and C. kefyr) being the commonest followed by Aspergillus spp. (7%), Cryptococcus neoformans (4%), Penicillium spp., Alternaria spp. and Rhodotorula spp. (1% each). Cryptococcal meningitis was diagnosed in 12 patients and Pneumocystis pneumonia in 8 patients. Conclusion: This study suggests occurrence of severe immunosuppression in HIV patients with opportunistic infections and a prompt recognition and treatment of these infections is essential to prevent the progression to AIDS.

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