Evaluation of HIV Patients in the Pandemic

Objective: To analyze the overall characteristics and clinical and laboratory data of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) cases followed up in our clinic during the pandemic.
Material and Methods: Our study included 60 HIV/AIDS patients who were followed up in our center between January 1, 2020 and June 1, 2022. This study was conducted at the Department of Infection Disease, University of Health Sciences Turkey, Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kýrdar City Hospital. Retrospective crosssectional study.
Results: In this study, 57 were male (95%), 3 were female (5%), and the median age was 35 (27-45) years. The median value of HIV-RNA was 168.31 IU/mL. In serological tests, 36% (n=21) of the patients were positive for Toxoplasma gondii immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody, cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG (n=59) 98%, anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) (n=2) 3.4%, venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) (n=10) 17%, and T. pallidum antibody (n=15) 25.9%. CD4 T-cell count: 329 cells/μL, 17% CD4, CD8 cell count: 888 cells/μL, 53% CD8, CD4/CD8 ratio: 0.35. The prevalence of serological markers of the patients was as follows: antihepatitis A virus IgG was positive in 45 (77.6%), hepatitis B surface antigen 0%, hepatitis B surface antibody 32 (55.2%), hepatitis B core antibody-IgG 17 (29.3%), anti-HCV 2 (3.4%), VDRL 10 (17.2%), anti-Treponema pallidum 15 (25.9%), CMV-IgG 59 (98%), and Toxo-IgG 21 (36.2%).
Conclusion: In recent years, it has been observed that our patients can express their sexual identities more easily, and therefore, the rate of unknown transmission has decreased.