Epidemiology of opportunistic infections and its correlation with CD4 T-lymphocyte counts and plasma viral load among HIV-positive patients at a tertiary care hospital in India.

The study was conducted to find the correlation of CD4 counts and plasma viral load (PVL) with opportunistic infections (OIs) in HIV-positive patients. A total of 43 drug-naive patients enrolled in the study. Absolute CD4 counts and PVL were measured. On the basis of symptoms, sputum, stool, and blood samples were obtained for laboratory tests. Oral swabs were obtained from all the patients. Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia was found in 45.2% patients (odds ratio [OR] = 12.8 for CD4 counts 4.0 log(10) copies/mL). Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB; OR = 8.0 for PVL >4.0 log(10) copies/mL) and streptococcal pneumonia (detected only with CD4 counts <50 cells/mm( 3) and PVL >4.0 log(10) copies/mL) were seen in 41.9% and 12.9% patients, respectively. Among patients with diarrhea, Giardia lamblia was detected in 31% patients (OR = 3.0 for CD4 counts 4.0 log(10) copies/mL) and Cryptosporidium in 17.2% patients (OR = 1.8 for CD4 counts 4.0 log(10) copies/mL). Shigellosis and Clostridium difficile toxin was present in 13.6% patients and 6.8% patients, respectively.