Epidemiological considerations about retinal opportunistic infections in HIV-infected patients in France.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the evolution of the epidemiology of retinal opportunistic infections in HIV-infected patients from 1994 to 1997 and to assess the effect of HAART initiated in 1996.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Epidemiological prospective study using the data collected during ocular examinations of HIV-infected patients conducted in a single referral center specialized in HIV infection.

RESULTS

From 1995 to 1997, the total number of examined HIV-infected patients and the incidence of retinitis related to CMV, VZV, tuberculosis, and toxoplasmosis decreased. The incidence of CMV retinitis, which was by far the most frequent ocular infection, fell from 6.2% to 1.2%.

COMMENTS: The dramatic decrease in retinal opportunistic infections since 1996 may be related to the use of HAART. However, a close follow-up is still justified due to the increasing occurrence of resistance to protease inhibitors.