Prevalence of Intestinal parasites in HIV patients in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

One hundred (100) HIV seropositive patients were compared with thirty sero negative subjects with respect to the prevalence of intestinal parasites. Stool samples were processed and examined for parasites using direct saline/lodine (wet mount preparation), formol-ether concentration method and Modified Acid Fast stain (AFS). Up to 64% of the HIV infected subjects were found to have intestinal parasites while 36% lacked intestinal parasites. Also the control group had 23.3% having intestinal parasites and 76.7% were non - affected. Parasites identified in this study included Gardia lambli;, Entamoeba histolytica; Ascaris lumbricoides; Isospora belli; Hookworm and Entamoeba coli among which Entamoeba coli (34.4%) had highest occurrence and Isospora bellia(3.1%) the least in the seropostive patients. Gardia lambli, Hookworms and Isospora belli were not observed in the control group. Infection was higher in younger age group, that is from 21 – 40 years old than 41 – 65 years old. Comparatively, there was no significant difference in the infection between male and female HIV seropositive patients (P≥0.05). Protozoan parasites (71.9%) had more prevalence than Helminth parasites (28.1%) in both HIV seropositive and seronegative subjects. Results of this study suggest that HIV infection increases the risk of acquiring intestinal parasites. Therefore patients with HIV infection should be regularly examined with stool microscopy for early detection and treatment of parasitic infection so as to minimize the chances of this adding to the complications usually associated HIV cases.