Prevalence and clinical characteristics of CMV coinfection among HIV infected individuals in Guinea‐Bissau: a cross‐sectional study

OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence of CMV in a cohort of HIV infected individuals in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa and to evaluate differences in patients' clinical characteristics associated with their CMV status. METHODS: Newly diagnosed HIV infected adults were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study, from May until December 2015. Enrolled patients were interviewed and underwent a full physical examination focusing on CMV disease manifestations. Blood samples were analysed for CMV serology, QuantiFERON-CMV response and CMV DNA. Mortality follow-up were registered for one year after inclusion. RESULTS: In total, 180 patients were enrolled. Anti-CMV IgG positivity was found in 100% (138/138) and 2.8% (4/138) were anti-CMV IgM positive. A positive QuantiFERON-CMV response was found in 85.7% (60/70) of the patients and 60.6% (83/137) had CMV viraemia. QuantiFERON-CMV response and detectable CMV DNA were associated with lower CD4 cell count, older age and upper gastrointestinal complaints. During one year of follow-up, the IRR for death among CMV DNA positive patients was 1.5 (P = 0.5). CONCLUSIONS: CMV coinfection was detected among all enrolled patients and CMV viraemia was highly prevalent. Only age and upper gastrointestinal complaints were associated with the patients' CMV status.