OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTION AND ASSOCIATED FACTOR AMONG ADULT PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV POST TEST AND TREATMENT AT PUBLIC HOSPITALS, DIRE DAWA, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Opportunistic infections are infections more frequent and/or severe in people living with HIV due to immune suppression. They are the top clinically presented illness and contribute to almost all AIDS-related deaths even after rapid antiretroviral treatment. Objective: To assess the prevalence and its associated factors of opportunistic infections among adult people living with HIVpost test and treat antiretroviral treatmentat public hospitals in Dire Dawa from June 12-26, 2020. Method: A hospital-based cross-sectionalstudy design was used. The totalstudy samples were 340. A stratified random sampling technique was done. All included study participants have at least one follow-up visit between October 2018 and September 2019, also took antiretroviralfor a minimum of six months. The data was extracted by extraction tool from routinely collected secondary data and entered into Epi-data and export to SPSS for analysis. Univariable, bi-variable, also multivariable analysis was done. Results: Of the total participant, 235(70.57%) and 98(29.43%) were fromDilchora and Sabian hospitals, respectively. Nearly two-thirds (63.96%) were female. Out of the total included, 100 of them were diagnosed with an opportunistic infection. The overall prevalence of the study was (37.24%). The top three types of infection were all types tuberculosis 37(29.94%), bacterial pneumonia 20(16.23%), and diarrheal diseases 17(13.81%). The independent factors, advanced disease stage AOR= 8.32(4.13, 16.74), CD4 < 200 cells/mm3 AOR= 6.18(2.14, 17.88), current weight < 60 kg AOR= 2.90(1.36, 6.16) and antiretroviral adherence level fair/poor AOR= 6.17(3.11, 12.21) were significantly associated. Conclusion and Recommendation:Opportunistic infections were prevalent among HIV-infected adultson antiretroviral based on test and treatin Dire Dawa.The disease stage, CD4 count, adherence, and weight were independently associated factors. Therefore, proactively identified, managed, and preventing opportunistic infections had better strengthen