Socio-Demographic and clinical pattern of presentation of HIV-1 infected adult patients in North-Eastern Nigeria

Objective: To describe the socio-Demographic and clinical pattern of presentation of HIV-1 infected adult patients in North-Eastern Nigeria. Methodology: Patients diagnosed to be HIV-1 positive that presented or referred for care to Infectious diseases clinic, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) from March to December 2008 were included in this descriptive case study. Detailed history and clinical examination was performed and risk factors for HIV infection were evaluated. Result: A total of 315 patients were consecutively recruited into the study which included 130(41.3%) males and 180(58.7%) females with male to female ratio of 1:1.4.The mean age(±SD) of both sexes was 34.03± 11.21(14-81) years. Male patients were older than females, 36.58 ¥had no formal education and were unemployed. Heterosexual contact appeared to be the single most predominant mode of exposure to HIV infection in this study. Weight loss (32%) was the most common presenting feature, followed by unexplained chronic diarrhoea (23.5%), persistent generalized lymphoadenopathy (22.9%), and orophrangeal candidiasis (20.3%).A total of 67 (21.3%) patients had AIDS-indicator conditions on presentation; significantly more males presented with AIDS-indicator condition than females (27.7% vs 16.8%) (p<0.05) Conclusion: The finding of higher prevalence of HIV among unemployed youth suggests that productive and economically viable segment of the society is worst hit.The heterosexual nature of the transmission supports interventions aimed at risky sexual behaviours. Weight loss being the mostcommonest presenting feature suggests late presentation.