OSTEOARTICULAR BACTERIAL-INFECTIONS ARE RARE IN HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS- 14 CASES FOUND AMONG 4,023 HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS

Among 4,023 HIV-infected patients admitted to a large Italian universi ty hospital in the period 1985-1996, 14 had concomitant HIV and bacter ial osteoarticular infections. Staphylococcus aureus infections were c ommonest and were diagnosed in 8 patients. Intravenous drug addiction was the only risk factor significantly associated with the development of osteoarticular infection (p = 0.04). In contrast, no statistical c orrelations were found with age, sex, absolute number of circulating T -CD4+ lymphocytes, neutrophils and stage of HIV infection. In conclusi on, osteoarticular infections are uncommon in HIV-infected patients an d are more directly related to parenteral drug abuse than to HIV.