ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To determine the spectrum of opportunistic infections in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection in Hong Kong. METHODS: A retrospective study of 214 HIV-1-infected patients, seen between December 1984 and December 1993 in a specialist clinic for HIV/AIDS: RESULTS: A majority (94%) of the patients in the cohort were male; 84% had acquired HIV via sexual contacts. Two-thirds were ethnic Chinese. Ninety-two (43%) had developed AIDS, and 54(25%) had presented with other non AIDS-defining opportunistic infections during the study period. The primary AIDS defining illnesses of 80 patients were infections: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (50%), extrapulmonary tuberculosis (10%) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease (8%). Opportunistic infections among Chinese and non-Chinese were similar in spectrum, though higher frequencies of infection with CMV, Mycobacterium avium intracellulare and tuberculosis were seen among Chinese, whereas the opposite was true for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, toxoplasmosis and cryptosporidiosis. Disseminated Penicillium marneffei infection was another significant disease for HIV-positive patients. Common non AIDS-defining opportunistic infections included herpes zoster, oral candidiasis, herpes simplex infection and genital/anal wart. The median CD4 count at HIV diagnosis for AIDS patients was much lower than non-AIDS patients (147 vs 546/ul). Survival of deceased AIDS patients was poor, with a median of only five months. Survival has however, apparently, improved over the recent years. CONCLUSIONS: In Hong Kong, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia remained the most common primary AIDS event, while Penicillium marneffei was emerging as another significant cause of major infection. Herpes zoster and oral candidiasis were the two most frequently encountered minor opportunistic infections.
Subject(s)
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/epidemiology , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/epidemiology , Bacterial Infections/epidemiology , HIV-1 , Mycoses/epidemiology , Virus Diseases/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Hong Kong/epidemiology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Morbidity , Retrospective Studies , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Seventeen asymptomatic HIV infected patients were studied for their phagocyte function in vitro, in comparison with that of eight normal healthy persons. Chemiluminescence was measured using whole blood by means of a microtitreplate luminometer. Light indices, cumulative light indices and rapidity of responses were recorded. The patients had a lower phagocyte count (13.17 +/- 0.85 x 10(9)/l) but a more rapid and intense chemiluminescence response. The latter was demonstrated by a higher peak light index and cumulative response. The observed enhanced phagocyte activity may reflect an early failure of T cell regulatory functions, or a compensatory mechanism in response to the underlying immunodeficiency.
