Clinical profile of HIV in India
Kumarasamy, N.; Vallabhaneni, S.; Flanigan, T.P.; Mayer, K.H.; Solomon, S.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 121(4): 377-394
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 15817951 Document Number: 257155
The clinical course of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and pattern of opportunistic infections varies from patient to patient and from country to country. The clinical profile of HIV disease in India includes a wide range of conditions like tuberculosis, cryptococcal meningitis, papular pruritic eruptions, and cytomegalovirus retinitis. Tuberculosis is the most common opportunistic infection in Indian patients with HIV. Occurrence of various AIDS-associated illnesses determines disease progression. Mean survival time of Indian patients after diagnosis of HIV is 92 months. In this review, we discuss the clinical profile of HIV disease through an organ system-based approach. Some of the diseases associated with HIV infection that are described in this paper are tuberculosis, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, bacterial pneumonia, oral candidosis, periodontal diseases, oral hairy leukoplakia, oral ulcers, skin diseases (e.g., herpes zoster, human papilloma virus-related warts, molluscum contagiosum, papular pruritic eruption), cryptococcal meningitis, cerebral toxoplasmosis, AIDS dementia complex, oesophagitis, diarrhoea, hepatitis B and C, and cytomegalovirus retinitis. With the availability of antiretroviral therapy at lower cost, the clinical profile of HIV disease in India is now changing to include drug-related toxicities and immune reconstitution syndrome.