Clinical profile of human immunodeficiency virus sero-positives attending integrated counselling and testing center in District Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh: A descriptive analysis

Abstract

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seems to be a major public health challenge for all over the world, especially in developing countries such as India. Objective: The objective of the study was to study the sociodemographic profile of people living with HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) attending a standalone Integrated Counseling and Testing Centre (ICTC) at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. Materials and Methods: A record-based study was carried out among the HIV-positive patients who were attending the ICTC at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical college, AMU, Aligarh. Results: Prevalence of HIV infection was found to be 5.04% in and around Aligarh region. Males were more commonly affected than females with a ratio of 1.6:1. Majority of HIV-positive patients (35.82%) belonged to 25–34 years of age group. Most common clinical presentation was fever (46.9%) among HIV-positive patients, followed by weight loss (36.88%) and diarrhea (32.55%). Sexual transmission (61.19%) was the most common route of HIV transmission seen in our study. Most of the patients had a baseline CD4 count level below 200/μl. Conclusion: Majority of HIV/AIDS study subjects were from the economically productive age group. Education level, occupation, socioeconomic status, and marital status were found to be statistically associated. Practice of heterosexuality is the most common mode of transmission. Most of the patients reported at an early phase of disease.

Keywords

• acquired immune deficiency syndrome
• antiretroviral treatment
• cd4 count
• human immunodeficiency virus
• social stigma
• standalone integrated counselling and testing centre