Treatment Of Opportunistic Infections Research Articles

Cryptococcal meningitis patients associated with HIV co-infection admitted in tertiary care hospital–A Case Series

Meningitis is a significant infection of the central nervous system that is followed by inflammation of the meninges, resulting in catastrophic neurologic consequences. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, fungi, or other microorganisms and less commonly by certain drugs. Meningitis can be life-threatening because of the inflammation’s proximity to the brain and spinal cord; therefore, the condition is classified as a medical emergency. In the present case series, we encompass patient demographics, initial clinical symptoms, physical examinations, laboratory results, cerebrospinal fluid examination findings, treatment side effects, the occurrence of complications, and hospital outcomes. Furthermore, documented were any instances of recurrent cryptococcal meningitis (CM) during follow-up, along with the potential causes of recurrence, the treatment modalities administered, any complications that arose, and the ultimate outcomes. This series reveals CM can manifest alongside HIV co-infection in male patients. Therefore, it is essential to consider the possibility of CM when an immune-compromised patient presents with symptoms such as headaches and other indications of central nervous system involvement. These cases reveal cryptococcosis with HIV-infected patients for rapid and early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of opportunistic infections.

A Qualitative Study of Caregivers of Children Living with HIV/AIDS in Ghana: Diagnosis History, Health-seeking Behaviour, and Care Expectations

Caregivers of Children Living with HIV/AIDS experience severe burdens in Africa amidst unmet needs while seeking care from hospitals. This study aimed to explore the diagnosis history, health-seeking behaviour, and care provided by hospitals and whether the services meet caregivers’ expectations. We used a qualitative approach and conducted individual in-depth interviews among purposively sampled caregivers of children living with HIV/AIDS from three hospitals. We achieved data sufficiency after interviewing nine participants. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed manually through Collaizi’s steps. Four themes developed including; history of pregnancy and poor HIV testing, effective care for caregivers and CLWH, attitude of healthcare providers, and unmet expectations of care. Healthcare providers showed positive attitudes towards caregivers and provided services (counselling, dispensing Anti-retrovirals, health monitoring, and coordination of clinical care). Expectations bordered on financial support (for food, education, health care), and treatment for opportunistic infections. Findings indicate gaps in HIV voluntary testing for pregnant women, enrollment in Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), and unmet needs. It is imperative to improve coverage of testing for pregnant women and efforts made to meet their needs. Financial support, provision of food security, and assistance for caregivers are essential for care.

Determinants of tuberculosis among adult people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy at public hospitals in Hawassa City, South Ethiopia.

The burden of tuberculosis (TB)/HIV co-infection is high in sub-Saharan African countries. The aim of the present study was to identify determinants of TB among people living with HIV (PLHIV) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at public hospitals in Hawassa City Administration, Sidama Region, Ethiopia. A facility-based case-control study was conducted between 30 March and 30 April 2023. We employed a systematic random sampling to recruit participants. The cases were all adult PLHIV who developed TB after ART initiation, and the group without TB were all adult PLHIV who did not develop TB after their ART initiation. Data were collected from patients' medical records using Kobo-tool and then exported to SPSS Version 26 for analysis. A multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of TB. Statistical significance was defined using the 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 124 cases and 249 people without TB participated in the study. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, we identified five independent determinants of TB. These include age (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.7; 95% CI 1.4-5.2), patients' residency (AOR = 6.4; 95% CI 2.8-14.5), WHO clinical stage III or IV (AOR = 6.7; 95% CI 3.2-14.0), isoniazid plus rifapentine (3HP) prophylaxis using (AOR = 0.5; 95% CI 0.2-0.9), and having other opportunistic infections (AOR = 3.6; 95% CI 1.7-7.6). Several risk factors for TB were identified among PLHIV. Strengthening TB screening in advanced disease conditions, encouraging use of 3HP prophylaxis, and early diagnosis and treatment of opportunistic infections were recommended to reduce the incidence of TB among PLHIV.

1579. Incidence and Predicting Factors of Opportunistic Infections after Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract Background Antiretroviral therapy (ART)-associated opportunistic infections (OIs) is the term proposed to encompass all OIs diagnosed after ART initiation, and it is not uncommon. We aimed to determine the incidence of OIs and the predicting factors for OIs developing after ART initiation among Thai people living with HIV (PLHIV). Methods In the university hospital setting, a retrospective cohort study was conducted among naïve PLHIV who initiated ART between January 2016 and December 2019. Results A total of 401 PLHIV were included in the analysis. Of these, the mean (SD) age was 37.1 (11.9) years, 74.3% were male, and 57.6% had heterosexual risk. There were 247 (61.6%) diagnosed with AIDS and a median (IQR) CD4 count at ART initiation was 166 (49-314) cells/µL. The most common prior OIs were tuberculosis (26.4%) and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (11.5%). Of all, 38 (9.5%) PLHIV developed OIs after initiating ART with an incidence rate of 25.6/1000 person-years. The median time (IQR) from ART initiation to the OIs occurrence was 26.5 (14-73) days. PLHIV who develop OI after ART initiation were more likely to have lower mean body mass index (BMI) (20.1 vs 22.3 kg/m2), lower median CD4 counts (36 vs 188 cells/µL), lower mean hemoglobin levels (10.8 vs 12.4 mg/dL), a higher proportion of AIDS diagnosis (86.5% vs 57.9%), having prior OIs (78.9% vs 35.5%), and a higher proportion of initiation with dolutegravir (DTG)-based regimen (10.5% vs 3%) (p < 0.05, all). By multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression, having BMI ≤18.5 kg/m2 (aHR 2.28; 95% CI 1.18-4.42, p=0.015), symptomatic at presentation (aHR 13.59; 95% CI 3.24-56.9, p < 0.001), SGPT >55 U/L (aHR 2.09; 95% CI 1.06-4.15, p=0.035), and initiation with DTG-based regimen (aHR 4.39, 95% CI 1.54-12.48, p=0.006) were statistically significant associated OIs after ART initiation. The OI-associated mortality was 5.3%. Conclusion The OIs after ART initiation are not uncommon. Malnutrition, symptomatic at presentation, abnormal liver enzyme, and initiation with DTG-based regimens is predicting factors of OI occurrences. It is crucial for physicians to monitor and appropriate treatment of OIs after ART initiation. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Assessing sex differences in viral load suppression and reported deaths using routinely collected program data from PEPFAR-supported countries in sub-Saharan Africa

BackgroundIn sub-Saharan Africa, more women than men access HIV testing and treatment and may have better viral load suppression (VLS). We utilized routinely reported aggregated HIV program data from 21 sub-Saharan African countries to examine sex differences in VLS and death rates within antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs supported by the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).MethodsWe included VLS and reported death data for persons aged 15 + years on ART from October–December 2020 disaggregated by sex and age for each subnational unit (SNU). We used linear mixed-model regression to estimate VLS proportion and negative binomial mixed-model regression to estimate the rates of death and death plus interruptions in treatment (IIT). All models were weighted for SNU-level ART population size and adjusted for sex, age, HIV/tuberculosis coinfection, country, and SNU; models for reported deaths and deaths plus IIT were also adjusted for SNU-level VLS.ResultsMean VLS proportion was higher among women than men (93.0% vs. 92.0%, p-value < 0.0001) and 50 + than 15–49 age group (93.7% vs. 91.2%, p-value < 0.0001). The mean rate of reported deaths was higher among men than women (2.37 vs. 1.51 per 1000 persons, p-value < 0.0001) and 50 + than 15–49 age group (2.39 vs. 1.50 per 1000, p-value < 0.0001); the mean rate of reported deaths plus IIT was higher among men (30.1 in men vs. 26.0 in women per 1000, p-value < 0.0001) and higher among 15–49 than 50 + age group (34.7 vs. 22.6 per 1000, p-value < 0.0001).ConclusionsThe mean rate of reported deaths was higher among men in most models despite adjusting for VLS. Further exploration into differences in care-seeking behaviors; coverage of screening, prophylaxis, and/or treatment of opportunistic infections; and more extensive testing options for men to include CD4 is recommended.

Editorial introduction

Editorial introduction

Perception and Behavior of PLWHA towards Out-of-Pocket Costs when Accessing Antiretroviral Treatment

Out-of-pocket costs are defined as direct and indirect costs when accessing antiretroviral (ARV) treatment at healthcare centers that aren’t subsidized by the government. While ARV treatment can be accessed for free, costs for diagnostic tests, consultation, and treatment for opportunistic infections are the main factor behind the low number of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) accessing ARV treatment post-diagnosis. This study aims to understand PLWHA’s behaviors that are related to ARV treatment access based on perceived barriers to out-of-pocket costs. This study used a qualitative approach with 8 PLWHA informants and 1 healthcare worker informant that works at a care, support, and treatment (CST) clinic at a private hospital. This study was conducted for four months from August to November 2021. Results found that behaviors in accessing ARV treatment in PLWHA are influenced by their perceived seriousness of HIV, perceived barriers in the national healthcare insurance referral process, and self-efficacy. Perceived out-of-pocket cost barriers were not identified as the informants’ reason for deciding to start ARV treatment or discontinue ARV treatment. This study recommends increasing the availability of clinical psychologists that can provide psychological support for PLWHA, specifically within the first 6 months of diagnosis, supplemented by peer support groups.

Plectranthus amboinicus Essential Oil Incorporated into Fish Feed Shows Strong Antimicrobial Activity against Aeromonas hydrophila, an Opportunistic Bacterium of Aquaculture

Plectranthus amboinicus is an aromatic herb often used in traditional medicine due to its antimicrobial properties. Based on it, the present study aimed to assess the toxic, antioxidant and, antibacterial properties of P. amboinicus essential oil (EO) either separated or mixed into fish feed. The chemical composition of the EO was also investigated. All samples were prepared with over 50% of carvacrol. The results revealed that the EO is a weak antioxidant and highly toxic against Artemia salina, showing greater antibacterial activity than positive control of chloramphenicol and synergistic effects. The EO also presented high antimicrobial activity against Aeromonas hydrophila strains when free or feed-incorporated, thus being a promising product for the treatment of opportunistic infections in fish.

Late presenter patient with HIV/SARS-CoV-2 coinfection

Introduction. Late presentation of a large number of HIV-infected patients remains an important public health problem. The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had serious consequences for health services, especially for patients living with HIV, who had limited access to health facilities, leading to a delayed diagnosis and initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART), as well as to an increased mortality. Case presentation. We describe the case of a 55-year-old patient, from a rural area, who was admitted to Emergency County Hospital Targu Jiu in November 2022 reporting significant weight loss (5 kg in one month), physical fatigue, dizziness, headache, loss of appetite, diarrhea, symptoms that occurred 3 months ago. Elisa test-HIV1,2 was performed, with a positive result and the patient was transferred to the HIV/AIDS Department - ”Victor Babes” Clinical Hospital ofInfectious Diseases and Pneumophtisiology Craiova. It was performed SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test and the result was positive. Head computed tomography revealed lesions of cerebral toxoplasmosis. The patient underwent treatment with antibiotics, antifungals, cerebral depletives, corticosteroids, gastroprotective drugs, vitamins, parenteral hydro-electrolytic rebalancing therapy and symptomatic drugs. ART was initiated 2 weeks after the diagnosis, with favorable evolution. At 3 months after ART initiation, the CD4 cell count increased to 120 cells/mm3 and VL-HIV was undetectable. Conclusions. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, late presentation for HIV/AIDS has been more common globally. Prompt treatment of opportunistic infection and then ART initiation led to a slowly favorable evolution in a patient with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Opportunistic infections in people with II–IV clinical stage of immunodeficiency

In recent decades, opportunistic infections are a serious medical and social problem due to their spread and significant impact on the quality of life of HIV-infected people. Due to the significant spread of HIV infection, the importance of opportunistic infections is increasing, and diseases that did not play a significant role before are gaining fundamental importance. Therefore, the issue of detection and timely treatment of opportunistic infections is very relevant. Increasing depletion of the CD4+ subpopulation is characteristic of HIV infection, which should be considered as a manifestation of the increasing destruction of the immune system and its morphological structures. This disease is transmitted through blood, sexually and from HIV-infected mother to her child during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. A person living with HIV can feel well for many years and not know that he is infected, and later he becomes vulnerable to pathogens of infectious diseases and seeks medical help already at the late stage of the disease — the fourth. The only way to detect the presence of HIV in the body is to conduct a special blood test for HIV. The world is trying to stop the HIV epidemic. At the regular session of the UN General Assembly, the participating countries agreed to do everything possible so that by 2030 the disease stopped spreading, and people living with HIV were not discriminated against.

Persistent High Burden and Mortality Associated With Advanced HIV Disease in Rural Tanzania Despite Uptake of World Health Organization "Test and Treat" Guidelines.

Information about burden, characteristics, predictors, and outcomes of advanced human immunodeficiency virus disease (AHD) is scarce in rural settings of sub-Saharan Africa. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and associated deaths remain high despite specific guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). Burden of AHD and 6-month death/loss to follow-up (LTFU) were described among 2498 antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive nonpregnant people with HIV (PWH) aged >15 years enrolled in the Kilombero Ulanga Antiretroviral Cohort in rural Tanzania between 2013 and 2019. Baseline characteristics associated with AHD and predictors of death/LTFU among those with AHD were analyzed using multivariate logistic and Cox regression, respectively. Of the PWH, 62.2% had AHD at diagnosis (66.8% before vs 55.7% after national uptake of WHO "test and treat" guidelines in 2016). At baseline, older age, male sex, lower body mass index, elevated aminotransferase aspartate levels, severe anemia, tachycardia, decreased glomerular filtration rate, clinical complaints, impaired functional status, and enrollment into care before 2018 were independently associated with AHD. Among people with AHD, incidence of mortality, and LTFU were 16 and 34 per 100 person-years, respectively. WHO clinical stage 3 or 4, CD4 counts <100 cells/µL, severe anemia, tachypnea, and liver disease were associated with death/LTFU. More than 50% of PWH enrolled in our cohort after test and treat implementation still had AHD at diagnosis. Increasing HIV testing and uptake and implementation of the WHO-specific guidelines on AHD for prevention, diagnosis, treatment of opportunistic infections, and reducing the risks of LTFU are urgently needed to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Impact of COVID-19 on HIV services and anticipated benefits of vaccination in restoring HIV services in Ethiopia: A qualitative assessment.

HIV services were inevitably disrupted and affected due to COVID-19. There are many challenges in implementing appropriate HIV services, particularly in the provision of health care and the link between people living with HIV/AIDS and retention in care. The study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on HIV services and the anticipated benefit of the COVID-19 vaccination on HIV service restoration in North Shewa, Oromia, Ethiopia. A qualitative descriptive study approach was used to explore how healthcare delivery evolved during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Ethiopia. Sixteen antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinics were selected from 13 districts and one administrative town in Ethiopia. From them, 32 ART providers were purposively selected based on their experience in ART provision. Data were collected from June to July 2021 using in-depth interviews. A thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data, based on themes and subthemes emerging from the data. ATLAS.ti software was used for coding. Healthcare for people living with HIV was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical appointments, HIV testing and counseling services, opportunistic infection treatment, medicine supply, and routine viral load and CD4 T-cell count tests were interrupted. Due to a shortage of healthcare staff, outreach testing services and home index testing were discontinued and HIV testing was limited only to hospitals and health centers. This has substantially affected accessibility to HIV testing and reduced the quality of HIV service delivery. Telehealth and less frequent visits to health facilities were used as alternative ways of delivering HIV services. The COVID-19 vaccination campaign is expected to restore healthcare services. Vaccination may also increase the confidence of healthcare providers by changing their attitudes toward COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has substantially impacted HIV services and reduced the quality of HIV care in Ethiopia. Health facilities could not provide routine HIV services as they prioritize the fight against COVID-19, leading to an increase in service discontinuation and poor adherence.

P232 Disseminated cryptococcosis in HIV due to different species — dissimilar yet alike!

Poster session 2, September 22, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PMObjectiveTo present two cases of disseminated cryptococcosis caused by two different species in HIV patients, presenting from the same geographical location.IntroductionCryptococcal meningitis is the most frequent cause of adult meningitis in areas with a high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is one of the leading causes of HIV-related deaths worldwide. Cryptococcus gattii, the lesser prevalent species, ‘conventionally’ known to affect the non-HIV and otherwise immunocompetent population, may also cause disseminated infection in HIV patients. High MICs of antifungals, especially fluconazole, may pose challenges in the management. Here, we present two cases of HIV patients with disseminated cryptococcosis, who presented from the same geographical area of India in the months of February and March 2022, respectively.Case 1: A 34-year-old patient from the state of Rajasthan with a past history of abdominal tuberculosis and a defaulter of ART (ABC/3TC/EFV) presented with headache and vomiting for 3 weeks. After an MRI brain and CT scan of the thorax, he was diagnosed to have pulmonary and meningeal cryptococcosis based on CSF examination with a positive Gram's, and India ink stain (Fig. 1), positive cryptococcal antigen (CRAG) by lateral flow assay, and fungal culture positive for C. gattii (MALDI-TOF); and a paratracheal lymph node biopsy showing granulomatous inflammation with cryptococci (Fig. 2). Fluconazole MIC was 16 μg/ml. He was treated with liposomal amphotericin B with flucytosine for 2 weeks. After good clinical recovery and negative fungal culture, a high dose (1200 mg) of fluconazole was started. He is asymptomatic with repeated negative fungal culture on 2 months follow-up.Case 2: A 37-year-old patient from Rajasthan, on ART (TDF/3TC/DTV) for HIV-1 diagnosed a month ago, presented with cough, weight loss, and fever for 2 months with severe chest pain on drinking and eating. He was diagnosed to have cytomegalovirus esophagitis based on the CMV inclusion bodies in a biopsy from the esophageal ulcers and a positive quantitative serum CMV DNA PCR. Bronchoscopy with EBUS-guided lymph node biopsy was done to investigate cavitary lung consolidation and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. BAL CRAG was positive and biopsy showed inflammation with histiocytic aggregates and necrosis, and many encapsulated yeasts form suggestive of Cryptococcus, which was identified by MALDI-TOF as Cryptococcus neoformans. Serum CRAG was positive. Though patient did not have any neurological complaints, CSF examination was done and CRAG was positive. He was treated with injection of liposomal amphotericin B, flucytosine, and ganciclovir, along with ART.ConclusionDefault of ART by the patients, initiation of ART without investigation and treatment of opportunistic infections, and co-existence of multiple opportunistic infections, are still major challenges in the management of HIV, especially in developing countries. Though C. neoformans is the commonly isolated species, more and more cases of C. gattii are being reported. Identification of the species is important as there are differences in the epidemiology, clinical presentation, antifungal susceptibilities, and hence the treatment and prognosis.

The cost of providing hospital-based (early) antiretroviral treatment in Indonesia: what has changed in almost a decade?

ABSTRACT 17% of all people living with HIV in Indonesia who are in need of antiretroviral treatment (ART) actually receive the treatment. The cost of ART based on three CD4 cell count groups (e.g., 0–200, 201–350, >350 cells/mm3) in a main referral hospital in West Java, Indonesia, in 2011–2016 was compared to the results from a decade earlier in the same setting. Costs were estimated including resources used for opportunistic infection treatment, laboratory tests, and antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. For each group, we divided the costs into several periods: pre-ART, and every 6 months up to 24 months after onset of treatment. Before ART, costs were dominated by laboratory tests (>80%); ARV drugs were the main cost after treatment onset (>92%). Average cost of treatment per year was US$600 across all groups. Moreover, the patient cost to access ART (n = 49 patients) did not exceed 10% of their household monthly expenditures (i.e., 4%). The unit cost of providing ART per patient/year is half the cost under the previous treatment initiation guidelines. A lower ARV drug cost, more patients in higher CD4 cell-count groups, and lower viral load test cost characterize the current cost profile.

Levels of undernutrition and associated factors among adults receiving highly active anti-retroviral therapy in health institutions in Bench Maji Zone, Southwest Ethiopia in 2018.

BackgroundNutritional issues are common in people with Human Immune Virus (HIV). At some point, almost everyone living with HIV faces challenges in maintaining good nutrition. There is insufficient evidence-based information on undernutrition in adults living with HIV on Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy.ObjectiveTo assess the magnitude of undernutrition and associated factors among patients receiving Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy in health facilities in the Bench Maji Zone, southwest Ethiopia in 2018.MethodsA facility-based cross-sectional study design was employed from 1 May to 30 June 2018 on 1,007 study subjects and the participants were selected by using a consecutive sampling technique. Five health facilities were selected through a simple random sampling technique. Data were entered into Epi Data Statistical software version 3.1 and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 21.0. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with undernutrition in adults receiving ART. Odds ratios with 95 % confidence intervals were used to examine associations between dependent and independent variables.ResultOf the total 1,007 study subjects, 961 participated in the study. More than half of the participants were female (61.2%), 57.2% were married and 42.9% were in the 30–39 years age group. In this study, the level of undernutrition among patients on antiretroviral therapy was 16%. Age ≥50 [AOR 2.5, 95% CI (1.1–5.6)], being single [AOR 2.2, 95% CI (1.4–3.7)], developing gastrointestinal symptoms [AOR 2.6, 95% CI (1.5–4.4)] and in WHO-defined clinical stages III and IV of HIV/AIDS [AOR 2.8, 95% CI (1.3–6.0)] were found to have a statistically significant association with undernutrition.ConclusionSignificant numbers of people on highly active antiretroviral therapy in the study area were undernourished. This demonstrated that HIV/AIDs and its treatment directly or indirectly impacted the nutritional status of the patients, who need a critical follow-up from health workers. Age, marital status, progressing to WHO-defined clinical stage of disease, and development of gastrointestinal symptoms were identified as factors that contribute to undernutrition among patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy. The health care workers and experts working at the ART clinic should focus on patient counseling regarding the early prevention, detection, and treatment of opportunistic infections. Early health-seeking behaviors before the AIDs stage and critical follow-up are the first actions to identify undernutrition.

The Risk of Opportunistic Infections and the Role of Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Patients on Checkpoint Inhibitors Requiring Steroids.

Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) often require treatment with high-dose systemic steroids (SS) and other immunosuppressive agents (ISAs). NCCN Guidelines recommend prophylactic antibiotics for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) for patients receiving prolonged SS/ISAs. However, there is a paucity of evidence regarding the incidence of opportunistic infections (OIs) and non-OIs and the role of prophylactic antibiotics in patients on SS/ISAs for irAEs. A retrospective analysis was conducted of patients treated using immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy at 5 MedStar Health hospitals from January 2011 to April 2018. OIs were defined per the Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines for the prevention and treatment of OIs in patients with HIV. The study cohort included patients who received ≥20 mg daily of a prednisone equivalent for ≥4 weeks to manage irAEs. The study cohort identified 112 (15%) of 758 total patients treated using ICIs. Baseline characteristics included the following: median age was 64 years, 74% (n=82) of patients were White, 89% (n=100) had an ECOG performance status ≤1, 61% (n=68) had melanoma, 19% (n=21) had non-small cell lung cancer, 45% (n=50) were treated using an anti-PD-(L)1 ICI, and 33% (n=37) were treated using an anti-PD-1/anti-CTLA-4 combination. The median starting SS dose was 100 mg of a prednisone equivalent, and 25% of patients required additional ISAs, with infliximab (n=15) and mycophenolate mofetil (n=9) being the most common. We found that 20% (n=22) of patients developed any infection, including 7% (n=8) with OIs (oral candidiasis [n=4], nondisseminated varicella zoster infection [n=2], PJP [n=1], and Listeria monocytogenes endophthalmitis [n=1]) and 13% (n=14) with non-OIs (most common: Clostridium difficile and pneumonia [n=5 each]). PJP prophylaxis with sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim was given to 13% (n=14) patients, of whom 43% (n=6) developed OIs/non-OIs. Our study highlights the fundamental issues for patients on ICI therapy who require SS/ISAs for irAEs: the degree of immunosuppression and the relative risk of OI. We noted a low incidence of OIs overall and breakthrough infections despite PJP prophylaxis. We question whether PJP prophylaxis is efficacious or necessary. Prospective trials are required to answer these questions.

Prevalence and Characterization of Gentamicin Resistance Genes in Escherichia coli Isolates from Beef Cattle Feces in Japan.

Gentamicin is an important antibiotic for the treatment of opportunistic infections in the clinical field. Gentamicin-resistant bacteria have been detected in livestock animals and can be transmitted to humans through the food supply or direct contact. We have previously revealed that gentamicin-resistant Escherichia coli are distributed at a comparatively high rate from beef cattle in Japan, but few studies have focused on the molecular epidemiology of gentamicin-resistant bacteria. To understand these bacteria, this study examined the prevalence of various gentamicin resistance genes in gentamicin-resistant E. coli isolates from beef cattle feces. Of the 239 gentamicin-resistant E. coli isolates, the presence of the aacC2, aadB, or aac(3)-VIa genes was confirmed in 147, 84, and 8 isolates, respectively. All aac(3)-VIa-harboring isolates had an MIC value of 64μg/mL for gentamicin and exhibited resistance to 11 antibiotic agents. An analysis of the representative aac(3)-VIa-harboring E. coli strain GC1-3-GR-4 revealed that the aac(3)-VIa gene was present on the IncA/C plasmid together with the aadA and blaCMY genes. Furthermore, the upstream region of the aac(3)-VIa gene contained the aadA gene and the class 1 integron-integrase gene (intI1). The aac(3)-VIa gene was detected for the first time in Japan and is expected to be able to transfer between bacteria via the IncA/C plasmid and integron. These results reveal the expansion of the distribution or diversity of gentamicin resistance genes in Japan.

Primary dental care treatment in primary Sjögren's syndrome: a possible role in improving salivary flow rate.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is an inflammatory chronic disorder that mainly affects exocrine glands. Additionally, oral infections can aggravate the glandular dysfunction. However, data on primary dental care (PDC) treatment in pSS are scarce. This study aimed to appraise the impact of PDC on the Xerostomia Inventory (XI), unstimulated/stimulated salivary flow rates and salivary cytokine profile in pSS. Fifty-two pSS patients and 52 sex- and age-matched control participants without systemic autoimmune diseases were included in a prospective study. At inclusion, all participants were assessed through a standardised protocol, measurement of salivary pro-inflammatory cytokines, and underwent PDC. Dental procedures included: oral hygiene guidance, restorative treatment of caries, surgical removal of residual roots and impacted or partially erupted teeth, cysts, supra and subgingival periodontal scaling and treatment of soft tissue disorders (removal of lesions and treatment of opportunistic infections). After 3 months, the clinical/laboratorial assessments were repeated. At inclusion, the Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index was higher in the pSS patients than in the control group (13.3±8.2 vs. 8.6±6.2, p=0.002), whereas periodontal parameters were comparable in both groups (p>0.05). After PDC, 26.9% of pSS patients showed a reduction of at least 6 points (clinical improvement) in XI, but mean XI remained unchanged (p=0.285). PDC resulted in an increase in mean unstimulated (p<0.001) and stimulated (p=0.001) salivary flow rates in pSS, with no change in salivary cytokine profile (p≥0.05). PDC promoted improvement in unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rates in pSS. This novel finding reinforces the recommendation of this strategy for pSS patients. gov (Identifier: NCT03711214).

Outcomes in Medicare‐ineligible people living with human immunodeficiency virus in a large healthcare network in Melbourne 2004–2019

Australia has approximately 1.6 million Medicare-ineligible residents, of whom around 450 are living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV). We examined the outcomes in a cohort of 50 Medicare-ineligible patients presenting to our hospital network over a 15-year period: 31 women (62%) and 19 men. Twenty-four were newly diagnosed. Sixteen of 24 remained in Australia more than 1 year after diagnosis. Although the mean CD4 count at initial contact was 353 cells/mm3 (range 3-2228; standard deviation (SD)=452.88), 13 people required treatment for opportunistic infections and 21 people required hospital admissions related to HIV, incurring total estimated hospital costs of $886 310. The mean number of contact years spent with the service was 2.2 (range 0-12; SD=2.6) and 20 people remain under care. Twenty-seven PLHIV remain in Australia, seven have transferred care within Australia, two people are known to have died and eight are lost to follow up. The median number of admissions was 0 (range 0-4; SD=1) and median length of admission was 5 days (range 0-73; SD=19). Many people leave Australia shortly after a diagnosis of HIV, but most Medicare-ineligible PLHIV remain. Delays in diagnosing HIV and acquiring Medicare status are associated with a significant burden of disease and cost. Keeping people well, on therapy and out of hospital is likely to be cost-saving in addition to good clinical practice.

Time to detection of anaemia and its predictors among women of reproductive-age living with HIV/AIDS initiating ART at public hospitals, Southwest Ethiopia: a multicentre retrospective follow-up study

ObjectiveTo assess the time to development of anaemia and its predictors among women of reproductive-age receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in public hospitals, Southwest Ethiopia.DesignHospital-based retrospective follow-up studySettingMizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital,...