Cause of death among people with retroviral infection in rural Guinea-Bissau

Cooper, M., van der Loeff, M.S., McConkey, S., Cooper, S., Vincent, T. and Whittle, H. (2010) Cause of death among people with retroviral infection in rural Guinea-Bissau. Tropical Doctor, 40(3), pp. 181-183. (doi: 10.1258/td.2010.090460)

Abstract

HIV-2 and HTLV-1 infection are both associated with increased mortality, but the causes of death are not well known. Relatives of 84 deceased persons from a rural part of Guinea-Bissau were interviewed using a standardised verbal autopsy questionnaire in the context of a large longitudinal community cohort study. The results were reviewed by two doctors to conclude cause of death. A cause of death was agreed upon for 49/84 subjects. Nineteen of these 49 were infected with HIV-2 alone and 7 with both HIV-2 and HTLV-1. Among these, the main causes of death were pulmonary tuberculosis (n = 5), AIDS (n = 5), cerebrovascular accident (n = 5), sepsis (n = 3) and hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 2). Death associated with traditional HIV-related causes were implicated in 13/26 (50%) of those with HIV-2.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Cooper, Dr Maxwell
• Authors: Cooper, M., van der Loeff, M.S., McConkey, S., Cooper, S., Vincent, T., and Whittle, H.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
• Journal Name: Tropical Doctor
• Publisher: Royal Society of Medicine Press Ltd.
• ISSN: 0049-4755
• ISSN (Online): 1758-1133
• Published Online: 01 January 2010