Abstract

Introduction: HIV/AIDS has posed many unprecedented challenges. Further, the visible manifestation of HIV occurs only at the last stage. As a result, there is a visible lack of realization of the problem in the society. Neurological complications of HIV infection cause considerable morbidity and are often associated with high mortality.

Aim: To study neurological manifestations in patients with HIV infection admitted in Government general hospital from December 2017 to November 2019, Kakinada.

Results: In the present study, 58 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria from about 400 patients admitted during the study with prevalence of 14% reflects the high prevalence of neurological manifestation in HIV patients. Altered sensorium was the commonest symptoms seen in 35 patients (60.3%) followed by headache (53.4%), convulsions and focal neurological deficit shared equally (29.3%). Most common neurological sign is meningeal irritation (51.7%). Most common illness are secondary infections among them Tuberculosis ranks first (60.3%) followed by cryptococcal meningitis. Neurological manifestations have been reported at all stages of HIV infection but detected especially in advanced HIV disease. The opportunistic infections remain the leading cause of neurological manifestations in HIV. Prevalence of neurological manifestation was highest in the young adult. High index of suspicion of neurological involvement in HIV patients in all stages helps in early diagnosis and timely institution of specific therapeutic treatment, which may considerably reduce the morbidity and mortality due to the disease.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Neurological manifestations, TB Meninigitis.