ABSTRACT
Background: HIV infection/AIDS is a global pandemic greatly exceeds earlier prediction. With widespread availability and uses of Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART), HIV becomes a chronic manageable illness but immediate and long term side effects become a major problem. The objective of the study was to study clinical profile of HIV positive patients attending A.R.T. centre of a tertiary care hospital.Methods: Observational and prospective study was carried out over 100 HIV positive Patients attending ART centre of G.G.G Hospital, Jamnagar, Saurastra, Gujarat over a period of 12 months.Results: Out of 100 HIV positive studied patients, maximum cases (95%) were in the age group of 15-49 years, 75% were males. (58%) cases were from rural area and (56%) were illiterate. Maximum cases were having sexual (79%) route of transmission. Most common symptom among HIV positive patients was weight loss (62%) followed by fever (58%). Mycobacterium tuberculosis (65%) was the most common opportunistic infection. (84%) patients had CD4 count between 50-200/cub.mm, (66%) were in stage III. ART was well tolerated, ADRs were found in 43% of patients.Conclusions: HIV is more common in reproductive age group with males being more affected and major route of transmission of HIV infection remains heterosexual mode.