Staphylococcal infections in HIV infected patients

Background - Staphylococcal infection is common in HIV drug users. Objective - To describe clinical manifestations of staphylococcal infection s. Results - Between December 1992 and May 1999 we admitted at our Service 38 HIV infected patients with staphylococcal infection. Staphylococci were isolated from: blood in 30 patients (S. aureus - 20, S. epidermidis - 5, S. hominis - 5), purulent secretions in 10, sputum in four , exudates in three, urine in three and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in one . All patients were treated with anti-staphylococcal antibiotics and ten of t hem underwent surgical drainage. Twenty-eight patients improved (73.3%) and 10 have died (26.3%). Deaths wer e due to sepsis (six pts.), endocarditis (two pts.) pneumonia tone pt.) and acute renal insufficiency tone pt.).