Mucocutaneous mycoses in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients hospitalised in a tertiary healthcare centre in the state of Amazonas-Brazil

Abstract

Several studies have been performed in which the severity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)infection is correlated with skin manifestations. The state of Amazonas-Brazil has a high incidence of HIV infection (2008, 26/100.000 hab), and this state is located in the tropics, a climate that promotes the development of mycoses; however, few studies have been published in the literature that discuss the prevalence of superficial mucocutaneous fungal infections in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients from this region. The objective of this study was to investigate clinical forms and etiologic agents of mucocutaneous mycoses in AIDS patients hospitalised in a tertiary healthcare centre in the state of Amazonas-Brazil. Specifically, the following factors were investigated: a) the frequency of patients with mucocutaneous mycoses, b) the clinical forms and c) the main etiological agents from the mucocutaneous mycoses. One hundred and seventy patients were submitted to a dermatological examination to search for predictive manifestations of mucocutaneous mycoses. Laboratory tests (micromorphological studies and culturing) were performed on the biological samples. The samples of skin scrapings, hair and nails and the oropharyngeal swabs were transported to the mycology laboratory of the FMT-HVD for micromorphological testing (slides, 40% KOH and cotton blue) and culture assays. Among the 170 patients, 116 presented clinical signs. Most of the patients were male (68%) between the ages of 31 and 40 years old (60%). Of the 137 sites suspected of mucocutaneous mycoses, only 52 were positive according to the laboratory tests. The most important clinical forms of mucocutaneous mycosis were oral candidiasis (58%) and onychomycosis (31%). Candida albicans and Trichophyton rubrum were the main causes of oral candidiasis and onychomycosis, respectively.