Opportunistic infections in HIV naive patients at a level IV hospital in Bogotá, Colombia

Introduction: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains a major public health challenge worldwide. HIV infection has a significant impact on morbidity and mortality due to associated complications such as opportunistic infections (OI). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of opportunistic infections in HIV-naive patients treated at a level IV hospital in Bogotá, Colombia. Materials and Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study was conducted between March 2020 and December 2021. Patients aged 18 years and older with Human inmunodeficiency virus who had not started antiretroviral therapy and presented with at least one opportunistic infection upon admission were included. Sociodemographic, clinical, and microbiological data were collected from the electronic medical records. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed using the chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test (p<0.05). Results: 99 patients were included, 78.79% of whom were men, with a median age of 34 years. Of the participants, 37.37% were migrants, and 60.5% had an irregular migratory status. The most common opportunistic infections are of fungal origin (59.23%), with Candida being the predominant pathogen (27.69%). The in-hospital mortality rate is 30%. Patients with CD4+ cell counts <50 cells/uL had a higher prevalence of fungal infections. Discussion: Opportunistic infections remain a significant threat to HIV-naive patients. Migrants with irregular statuses are particularly vulnerable, highlighting the need for timely and equitable interventions to improve access to antiretroviral therapy.