Opportunistic infections in patients living with HIV/AIDS

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Lia Monica Junie, Filipescu Irina, Iubu Roxana, Marcu Cristian, Flonta Mirela, Lupse Mihaela and Itu Corina

Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romania

: J Virol Antivir Res

Abstract

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Background: HIV/AIDS is an exceptional epidemic that requires an exceptional response. Material and method: There are in active evidence 371 patients, 288 of them being with antiretroviral therapy. We present the situation of newly diagnosed cases in the last five years in Cluj, in association with the CD4 count and the opportunistic infections. The opportunistic infections were in most of the cases correlated with the CD4 count. Most of the patients were asymptomatic at the moment of the diagnosis. In patients with CD4 count over 500/ cmm, the percentage of opportunistic infections was bigger for respiratory lower tract infections (22%), followed by CMV retinitis (11%) and diarrhea (5%). The patients diagnosed in AIDS stage, with CD4 count under 200/cmm presented especially esophageal candidiasis (15%), followed by pulmonary and lymph node tuberculosis (8%), syphilis (7%). Opportunistic infections of the nervous system were represented, in 2-4% of the cases, by cerebral toxoplasmosis and cryptococosis. Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia was detected in 3-7% of cases. The severe infections characteristic to AIDS stages were represented by candidiasis (28%), cryptococal meningitis, cerebral toxoplasmosis (in 4% of cases) and reactivation of Varicella virus (in 10% of cases). In conclusion, the number of newly detected HIV/ AIDS patients is gradually increasing; most of them are being with severe opportunistic infections at the time of the diagnosis. Except the opportunistic infections, the most common clinical condition was wasting syndrome. All the infections were correlated with the immune status, with no particular aspects.

Biography

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Lia Monica Junie is an MD, Phd and professor at the Microbiology Department of Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj Napoca, Romania. She is leadership PhD doctor’s thesis in Medicine field. She is a Board Member of European professional Societies ESCMID (ESGCP Study Groups), Society of Chemotherapy, Scientia Parasitologica Pro Vita and is reviewer of international reviews, Member of International organizations, director/coordinator in research projects. She has more than 65 papers published in full in international journals and is an editorial board member of national reviews. She is an organizer/president, keynote, invited speaker and chair of International and National Congresses.

E-mail: monicajunie@yahoo.com