Central nervous system lesions in HIV-infected patients in an epidemiologically unfavorable region

Objective. To determine the pattern of central nervous system (CNS) lesions and to characterize their clinical and laboratory features in patients with HIV infection in Novokuznetsk. Subjects and methods. The investigators analyzed the 2006-2018 data on the incidence of HIV infection in Novokuznetsk. They conducted a clinical, laboratory, and instrumental examination in 95 HIV-infected patients admitted to hospital for suspected neuroinfection. Results. The incidence of HIV infection in Novokuznetsk steadily exceeds Russia’s average. The pattern of CNS lesions was established to include secondary meningitis/encephalitis in the presence of bacterial or Candida sepsis, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, cytomegalovirus encephalitis, lymphoma, HIV-associated encephalitis, encephalopathy, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Three fourths of patients had Stage 4B HIV infection (AIDS). A fatal outcome occurred in 48 cases; 7 patients were transferred to other hospitals. Conclusion. A central nervous system lesion in HIV- infected patients in the endemic territory is recorded mainly in the late stages of the disease and is characterized by polyetiology, nonspecific clinical presentations, high mortality rates, and diff iculties in clinical diagnosis and decoding of the etiology of the disease.

ВИЧ-инфекция, поражение ЦНС, этиология, диагностика