Otolaryngological and head and neck manifestations in HIV-infected patients seen at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa

摘要

BACKGROUND. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest incidence of HIV infection. According to recent census statistics, 5.6 million people inSouth Africa (SA) are HIV-positive, the highest number of infected individuals worldwide. Over 80% of HIV-infected individuals willpresent with ear, nose and throat (ENT) manifestations. Previous studies show that oral diseases seem to be the most common ENT-relatedmanifestation, reported in about 40 - 50% of HIV-infected patients. In SA, there is lack of local information regarding the otolaryngologicaland head and neck manifestations in HIV-infected individuals.OBJECTIVE. To ascertain our local trends of ENT and head and neck manifestations in HIV-infected patients seen at our specialised ENT-HIVClinic, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, Gauteng Province, SA.METHODS. A 1-year prospective study involving 153 HIV-infected patients was conducted in the clinic from January to December 2011.Patient history was taken and examinations were performed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) HIV/AIDS classificationsystem. Data analysis was performed using Epi Info 7 software.RESULTS. The most common manifestations were adenoid hypertrophy/hyperplasia followed by cervical lymphadenopathy, chronicsuppurative otitis media, otitis media with effusion and sensory-neural hearing loss.CONCLUSION. Patients typically presented with early manifestations during symptomatic WHO stages I and II in contrast to results reportedin similar developing world studies from Iran, Nigeria and India. A possible explanation may lie in the SA government HIV Counsellingand Testing campaign and the antiretroviral rollout programme, the effectiveness of which is becoming evident.