14th International AIDS Conference Barcelona, Spain — July 7-12, 2002

Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12;14:Abstract No. MoOrB1008

BACKGROUND: Patients with HIV are at a high risk of bacteremia. The Uganda STI/AIDS Control Programme recommends use of low cost drugs for prophylaxis and treatment of HIV/ AIDS related opportunistic infections. Yet, little is known about their sensitivity patterns.

METHODS: We analysed results from 114 HIV-1 infected adults participating in a clinical cohort, between April 1996-November 2001. 5 mls of venous blood was drawn from febrile patients (Temp ≥ 38°C) and inoculated into Nutrient Broth and Brain Heart Infusion, and subsequently sub-cultured onto blood and chocolate agar. Disc sensitivity tests were performed to commonly used antibiotics.

RESULTS: 56 bacteremic episodes (18%) were isolated from 310 blood culture samples. Streptococcus pneumoniae, 21 (37.5%), non- typhi Salmonella, 17 (30%) and E.coli, 7 (12.5%) were the predominant causative organisms. Observed sensitivity rates were chloramphenicol-66.7% (34/51), ciprofloxacin-52.9% (27/51), erythromycin-45.1% (23/51), tetracycline-27.5% (14/51), ampicillin-23.5% (12/51), penicillin-23.5% (12/51) and cotrimoxazol-19.7% (10/51).

CONCLUSIONS: Ciprofloxacin and erythomycin were the antibiotics of choice for gram -ve and +ve organisms, respectively. Chloramphenicol was most suitable for blind treatment if no gram stain can be done. In light of this, there is an urgent need to develop suitable new treatment regimens, taking account of the emerging antibiotic resistance.

Presenting author: Brian Kigozi

1J.A.G. Whitworth Medical Research Council Programme on AIDS-Uganda Virus Research Institute, MRC UVRI, PO Box 49, Entebbe, Uganda.

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MoOrB1008

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