Abstract Details

Title Neurotoxoplasmosis: a 5-year story in the Dominican Republic

Topic Infectious Disease

Presentation(s) P14 - Poster Session 14 (11:45 AM-12:45 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 13-004

Objective To describe people living with HIV and neurotoxoplasmosis clinical presentation and common outcomes in the Dominican Republic.

Background Despite breakthroughs in HIV testing and ART access, advanced HIV is still a Latin American health concern. The Dominican Republic saw only a 4% reduction in HIV incidence rate during the last 5 years. Suboptimal disease control and opportunistic infections like neurotoxoplasmosis may occur from a lack of specialized healthcare facilities, limited resources, and information availability in remote areas.

Design/Methods Retrospective case series study of individuals with HIV and neurotoxoplasmosis diagnosis from 2017 to 2022. Characteristics included demographics, clinical presentation, laboratory, and imaging. Quantitative data was analyzed using dispersion and central tendency, whereas qualitative data was analyzed using frequencies and percentages.

Results 37 patients with HIV and neurotoxoplasmosis (mean[SD] age, 37.8[9.55] years; 70.2%[26] men) had a median CD4 count of 24 k/uL (IQR 53) and a mean viral load of 329.3 (SD 258). 64%(24) were noncompliant, not treated, or had uncertain HAART status. 29.7%(11) had anemia, 11.1%(4) myasthenia gravis, and 8.1%(3) hypertension. Oropharyngeal candidiasis 29.7%(11) and Tuberculosis 10.8%(4) were common coinfections. Headache (72.9%[27]), hemiparesis (54.1%[20]), and seizures (51.4%[19]) were the most common neurological symptoms. CT scans showed hypodense lesions (72.4%[21]), mass effect (48.6%[18]), patchy white matter hypodensities (32.4%[12]), and vasogenic edema (27.02%[10]). Within a year, 10.8%(4) had died.

Conclusions Although recent advances in HIV management, developing nations still face difficulties in accessing adequate care. HIV patients require continuous monitoring to avoid preventable conditions, such as neurotoxoplasmosis. Given the sociocultural context, what can we do to increase follow-up and HAART adherence?

Authors/Disclosures
María Cedeño-Bruzual, MD PRESENTER	Dr. Cedeño-Bruzual has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
Angelica G. Montilla (Universidad Iberoamericana)	Miss Montilla has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file

��ɫ��

��ɫ��