A clinico-epidemiological study of the mucocutaneous manifestations among people living with human immunodeficiency virus attending a tertiary care center in South India.

Abstract

Introduction: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was first discovered in 1983 and has since claimed around 40.4 million lives globally as of 2022. This alarming figure highlights the potential for HIV to escalate into a severe global health crisis if not properly managed. The virus is linked to various mucocutaneous manifestations, which can serve as early indicators of HIV infection and provide prognostic insights into disease progression. These conditions can significantly impact the quality of life and, in severe cases, may even be life-threatening.

Aims and objectives: This study was done to understand the clinico-epidemiological profile of mucocutaneous manifestations in HIV patients attending Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprosy (DVL) Outpatient Department (OPD) and to analyze the demography, risk factors, CD4 counts, and their correlation with different mucocutaneous manifestations.

Materials and methods: The present study is a retrospective observational study conducted in HIV-positive patients who attended the OPD of the DVL Department of Government General Hospital, Khammam, for a period of 3 years, i.e., from January 2021 to December 2024. Patient records were retrieved electronically from the database. Clinical and demographic data were collected and laboratory investigations wherever necessary were done.

Results: Out of a total of 8216 patients who attended the DVL OPD during this period, 2017 (2.3%) were tested positive for HIV. Of these, 1755 (87.01%) patients had mucocutaneous manifestations, in which 1056 patients (60%) had infectious mucocutaneous manifestations, 636 patients (36.2%) had noninfectious manifestations and 63 patients (3.8%) had antiretroviral therapy-associated drug eruptions. The study had more males (52.4%) followed by females (46.9%) and transgenders (0.7%). It is observed that the middle-aged population (21-40 years), as expected, have the majority of patients (57.19%), whereas <10 years (1.02%) had the least, with the youngest being 1 year and the oldest being 80 years.

Conclusion: The study highlights that mucocutaneous manifestations correlate with CD4 count and can aid in early HIV diagnosis and monitoring, especially where CD4 testing is unavailable. Understanding their epidemiological distribution helps design targeted awareness, screening, and prevention programs for high-risk groups.