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Page 52

Microbiol Biotechnol Rep | Volume 1, Issue 2

November 16-17, 2017 Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Annual Congress on

Mycology and Fungal Infections

Pulmonary zygomycosis among HIV/AIDS subjects with respiratory symptoms in

Calabar, Nigeria

Ofonime M Ogba, Lydia N Abia-Bassey

and

James Epoke

University of Calabar, Nigeria

Introduction:

Zygomycosis is a rare infection but the incidence is on the rise as a result of increased use of

chemotherapy and steroids among immunosuppressed patients. It is an invasive angiotropic infection with fungi

of the

Mucorales

order, which includes Mucor species,

Rhizopus

species,

Rhizomucor

species, and multiple

others. The second most common form of the infection is pulmonary.

Materials & Methods:

HIV-positive subjects with respiratory symptoms were enrolled for the study. Subjects

selection was based on HIV screening and the ability to produce sputum. A structured questionnaire was

administered to all the subjects after obtaining their informed consent for demographic data. Ethical approval

was obtained from the ethical research committee, UCTH, Calabar, Nigeria. Blood samples were obtained for

CD4 count determination to ascertain the immune status of the patients. Sputum samples produced early in

the morning were obtained twice from the subjects and subjected to macroscopy, microscopy and culture. The

immune status of the subjects was assessed by CD4 count levels. Identification to the species complex level was

performed by macroscopic and microscopic morphology.

Results:

Rhyzopus arrhyzus

50.0% and

Litchthenia

species 50% were the only

Mucorales

encountered among

subjects in this study. 3.0% pulmonary zygomycosis prevalence was recorded in the study. Subjects with

Rhizopus

arrhyzus

infection presented hemoptysis and cough while those with Absidia infection presented with

variable symptoms including; cough, chest pain, sinusitis and fever. The mean CD4 counts of subjects with and

without zygomycosis were 123.0±136.2 351.3±254.3 respectively. There was a statistically significant effect of

zygomycosis on the CD4 counts of subjects (t=2.18, p=0.02).

Conclusion:

This study reveals that pulmonary zygomycosi is a health problem among HIV/AIDS patients in our

locality. The immune status may have been influenced by the infection.

olawumioyebanji@gmail.com