Oropharyngeal candidiasis prevalence among HIV-infected patients at the teaching hospital of Treichville (Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire)

Aim of the study. - The aim of this study was to determine the mycological profile of oropharyngeal candidiasis among HIV-infected patients from Internal Medicine, Infectious and Tropical Diseases, and Pneumo-Phthisiology Diseases departments of the Teaching Hospital of Treichville in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. Patients and methods. - This was a cross-sectional study carried out on patients with lesions suggestive of oropharyngeal candidiasis from October 2010 to April 2011. Oral swabs were cultured, and Candida species were identified using a germ tube test, a chlamydospore formation assay, and the API 20C system. Results. - A total of 286 patients were included, among whom 99.1% were infected with HIV. The prevalence of oropharyngeal candidiasis was 79.4% (CI95% = 74.4-83.8). Five different species of Candida were identified, with the predominant species being Candida albicans (95.2%). Most affected patients were female (54.6%, P < 0.0001) between the ages of 30 and 45 (78.4%, P < 0.0001). The most lesion types observed were thrush (87.8%). Patients infected with HIV1 (95.6%), with a primary school level of education (52.8%), under antiretroviral therapy (88.5%) and with tuberculosis as an associated pathology (62.5%) were the most commonly affected. Patients were mostly under ART first line treatment (86.4%) and at the beginning of the treatment (86.4%). Conclusion. - Oropharyngeal candidiasis is frequent among HIV-infected patients. Better and early management of this vulnerable population should allow for a reduction in the high prevalence observed. (C) 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.