Year: 2026 | Month: September | Volume: 16 | Issue: 9 | Pages: 298-306
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20260932
Spectrum and Frequency of Opportunistic Infections among People Living with HIV in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Tripura: A Cross Sectional Study
Sanat Debbarma1, Subhrajit Das2, Dharmesh Manyam3
1Senior Resident, Department of General Medicine, Agartala Government Medical College and Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital, Agartala, Tripura, India.
2Senior Resident, Department of General Medicine, Agartala Government Medical College and Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital, Agartala, Tripura, India.
3Senior Resident, Department of General Medicine, Agartala Government Medical College and Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital, Agartala, Tripura, India.
Corresponding Author: Dr. Sanat Debbarma
ABSTRACT
Background: Opportunistic infections (OIs) remain an important cause of morbidity among people living with HIV (PLHIV), particularly in the presence of advanced immunosuppression. Understanding the spectrum and frequency of OIs in specific regional populations is essential for improving clinical surveillance and management. This study assessed the spectrum and frequency of OIs among PLHIV attending a tertiary care hospital in Tripura, India, and examined their clinical and sociodemographic characteristics in relation to CD4 cell count.
Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional observational study was conducted at Agartala Government Medical College and G.B. Pant Hospital, Tripura, from June 2023 to May 2025. A total of 100 adults with confirmed HIV infection who attended the hospital or ART Centre were enrolled. Sociodemographic and clinical information, ART status, laboratory findings, and CD4 cell counts were recorded using a structured case record form. OIs were identified using appropriate clinical, microbiological, radiological, and histopathological criteria. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, and Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Forty-five of the 100 participants had at least one OI. Tuberculosis was the most frequently observed OI, accounting for 15 cases (33.3%), followed by respiratory infections in 11 (24.4%), oral candidiasis in 9 (20.0%), skin infections in 6 (13.3%), and genital infections in 4 (8.9%). Regarding CD4 cell counts, 40 participants (40.0%) had counts <200 cells/µL, 45 (45.0%) had counts of 200–500 cells/µL, and 15 (15.0%) had counts >500 cells/µL. No statistically significant associations were observed between OI status and the evaluated sociodemographic variables, including sex, age, religion, education, occupation, marital status, and ethnicity.
Conclusion: OIs represented a substantial clinical burden among PLHIV in this tertiary-care setting, with tuberculosis, respiratory infections, and oral candidiasis comprising the predominant presentations. The high proportion of participants with CD4 counts <200 cells/µL underscores the importance of early diagnosis, sustained ART, and regular immunological monitoring for reducing OI-related morbidity.
Key words: HIV Infections; Opportunistic Infections; Tuberculosis; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Antiretroviral Therapy; Cross-Sectional Studies