Objective: Determine the prevalence of cryptococcal antigenemia and associated factors in HIV-infected patients in Cotonou in order to introduce systematic screening in national guidelines.
Patients and methods: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study conducted from June to September 2015 in four outpatient treatment centers with adult patients infected with HIV, receiving or not antiretroviral treatment with a number of CD4≤200cell/μL and who have given their informed consent to participate in the study. For each enrolled patient, after signing the informed consent form, it was made a clinical examination and administration of a questionnaire to collect general information, treatment and biological data. Then a blood sample for counting CD4 lymphocytes and the search of cryptococcal antigenemia were done.
Results: In total, 355 patients were included in the study with a mean age of 40±10.2years. The overall prevalence of cryptococcal antigenemia is 1.7%. All patient with cryptococcal antigenemia have a CD4 count below 100cells/μL with a majority having CD4 count below 50cells/μL. Body mass index<18.5kg/m2, an alteration of the general condition with a CD4 lymphocyte counts<50cells/μL are the main factors associated with the occurrence of cryptococcal antigenemia.
Conclusion: This pilot study showed a low prevalence of cryptococcal antigenemia in the study population, but higher in highly immuno-deficient patients with CD4 counts<50cells/μl. Given the results obtained, the introduction of routine screening among patients infected with HIV could be reserved to those with CD4 counts<50cells/μl.
Keywords: Antigénémie cryptococcique; Benin; Bénin; Cryptococcal antigenemia; Dépistage; HIV; Prevention; Prévention; Screening; VIH.
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