Opportunistic and non-opportunistic intestinal parasites in HIV/ AIDS patients in relation to their clinical and epidemiological status in a specialized medical service in Goiás, Brazil

Abstract

Patients infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) often have opportunistic infections, among which strongyloidiasis and coccidiosis are the most common parasitic infections that aggravate their health status. This study examined the prevalence of intestinal parasites, particularly of Strongyloides stercoralis and intestinal coccidia in patients with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/ Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) who were treated at the Specialized Assistance Service (SAE) of Jataí, State of Goiás, Brazil, and analyzed its correlation with clinical, laboratory, and socio-epidemiological parameters. A total of 270 stool samples were analyzed by the Lutz technique, Rugai’s method, Agar Plate Culture, Ritchie’s method and specific staining, Ziehl-Neelsen modified technique, Kinyoun’s method and the rapid safranin method. The prevalence of intestinal parasites was 28.88% including 3.8% of S. stercoralis, Cryptosporidium sp. and Cystoisospora belli. There was a significant positive correlation between intestinal parasites and the clinical status and the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART), smoking, CD4+ lymphocyte counts and sexual orientation. In conclusion, the widespread use of antiretroviral therapy and health assistance contributed to the low prevalence of S. stercoralis and coccidiosis in patients with HIV/ AIDS who were followed up at the SAE.

Prevalence of Opportunistic Intestinal Protozoan Infection Among HIV/AIDS Patients in Jalingo Metropolis

“…Amoebiasis, Giardiasis and Cryptosporodiasis are among the most commonly diagnosed intestinal parasites from the study participants. This prevalence was lower in comparison to the 44.8% and 47.5% reported in Ethiopia and DR Congo [6,7].…”

Prevalence and associated factors of intestinal parasite infection by HIV infection status among asymptomatic adults in rural Gabon

“…This low prevalence was similar to that found in PLHIV (3.8%) in Brazil. 27 Furthermore, the consumption of tap water and the use of external toilets were factors associated to the high prevalence of intestinal parasites (near 90%) as reported elsewhere. 33,34 Protozoa such as G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium sp resist to the wastewater treatment process.…”

Parasitosis intestinal y estado inmunológico en pacientes adultos con infección por VIH del Centro Médico Naval "Cirujano Mayor Santiago Távara

“…Del total de casos, se evidencia que más de la mitad tiene un examen coproparasitológico positivo (69,2 %), aunque hay un porcentaje de 28,6 % que presenta parasitosis asintomática. Esto puede explicarse porque el paciente presenta un recuento de CD4 no muy alterado o la parasitosis no es patógena; sin embargo, no podemos dejar de considerar al factor tratamiento antirretroviral que puede influir en la aparición de diarrea (efecto de los medicamentos), y la aparición de infecciones oportunistas (10) .…”

“…A medida que se ha incluido el tratamiento antirretroviral, ya sea constituido por una sola droga o al pertenecer al programa TARGA, se ha podido encontrar diferencia estadísticamente significativa en relación al recuento de CD4 entre los casos con y sin tratamiento, el promedio de recuento de CD4 del grupo de tratamiento antirretroviral, ya sea con TARGA o con monodroga, es inferior al promedio encontrado en el grupo de sin tratamiento antirretroviral. Esto se debe a que uno de los indicadores para iniciar TARGA es el recuento de CD4 por debajo de 200 células/μL (10) .…”