Herpes Zoster as a Predictor of HIV Infection in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study

This study aimed to investigate the association between herpes zoster (HZ) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Data were retrieved from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Databases (LHID 2005 and 2010), Taiwan. The International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] codes were used to identify Hz from 2001–2004. Identification of HIV infection was from 2005–2010. The hazard ratios of HIV among herpes zoster infected and non-herpes zoster infected patients were estimated using multiple Cox proportional hazard model. In general, 19685 participants were identified with Hz. The HIV incidence rates (per 10⁴ person-months) in herpes zoster infected and non-infected patients were 0.191(95% CI 0.130–0.280) and 0.079 (95% CI 0.074–0.084), respectively while the hazard ratio (HR) of HIV among infected individuals was 3.518 (95% CI 2.375–5.211). This study concludes that herpes zoster could be considered as a predictor of HIV infection especially among Asian populations, hence it is vital to test herpes zoster infected individuals for HIV antibodies.

Below:  KM plots of cumulative HIV incidence proportion among HZ individuals

Full article at: http://goo.gl/ZNAdGL

By:

Yuan-Ti Lee

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC

Yuan-Ti Lee

School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC

Yuan-Ti Lee

Institute of Medicine and School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC

Oswald Ndi Nfor, Disline Manli Tantoh, Jing-Yang Huang, Wen-Yuan Ku, Shu-Yi Hsu, Pei-Chieh Ko, Yung-Po Liaw

Department of Public Health and Institute of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan

Hung-Chang Hung

Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Nantou Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Nantou, Taiwan, ROC

Cheng-Feng Jan

Office of Physical Education, Chung Yuan Christian University, 200, Chung Pei Rd, Chung Li, Taiwan

Yung-Po Liaw

Department of Family and Community Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan

   

More at:  https://twitter.com/hiv_insight

And: http://twitter.com/Prison_Health