Aspergillosis among people infected with human immunodeficiency virus: incidence and survival. Adult and Adolescent Spectrum of HIV Disease Project

Clin Infect Dis. 2000 Nov;31(5):1253-7. doi: 10.1086/317452. Epub 2000 Nov 6.

Abstract

Aspergillosis is a life-threatening fungal infection in immunocompromised people, including people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We determined the incidence of aspergillosis among HIV-infected people and survival after aspergillosis diagnosis by use of a national HIV surveillance database. Among 35,252 HIV-infected patients, the incidence of aspergillosis was 3.5 cases per 1000 person-years (p-y; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.0-4.0 per 1000 p-y). Incidence was higher among people aged > or =35 years (4.1 per 1000 p-y, 95% CI, 3. 5-4.8), among people with CD4 counts of 50-99 cells/mm(3) (5.1 per 1000 p-y, 95% CI, 2.8-7.3), or CD4 counts of <50 cells/mm(3) (10.2 per 1000 p-y, 95% CI, 8.0-12.2), versus people with CD4 counts of >200 cells/mm(3), people with > or =1 acquired immune deficiency syndrome-defining opportunistic illness (8.6 per 1000 p-y, 95% CI, 7.4-9.9), and people who were prescribed at least one medication associated with neutropenia (27.7 per 1000 p-y, 95% CI, 21.0-34.3). Median survival time after diagnosis of aspergillosis was 3 months, and 26% survived for > or =1 year. These findings suggest that aspergillosis is uncommon, occurs especially among severely immunosuppressed or leukopenic HIV-infected people, and is associated with poor survival.

MeSH terms

  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / complications*
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aspergillosis / complications*
  • Aspergillosis / epidemiology
  • Aspergillosis / microbiology
  • Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / complications
  • Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / microbiology
  • Aspergillus / isolation & purification
  • Aspergillus fumigatus / isolation & purification
  • Aspergillus niger / isolation & purification
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • Homosexuality, Male
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Survival Analysis
  • United States / epidemiology