Prevalence of Enteric Parasites in Human Immunodeficiency Virus HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Patients attending Hospitals in Jos, Nigeria.

Abstract

This study was carried out in two hospitals in Jos metropolis, namely Jos university teaching hospital (JUTH) and the Plateau Specialized Hospital. Three hundred (300) fecal samples were collected from patients satisfying a clinical case definite for AIDS, another 352 apparently healthy subjects were sampled Demographic information, including ages were obtained. The presence of diarrhoea was also determined by direct observation of stool and frequency of stooling was obtained. Specimens were examined microscopically for the presences of Leucocytes, erythrocytes, and parasites (amoebae, cysts, ova, and larvae) by using a saline and iodine preparation. Modified acid-fast smears for the detection of Cryptosporidium were performed for all specimens. Stool samples were also examined using the direct smear and the lugos iodine for the detection of coccidian and other enteric pathogens. Of the 652 subjects examined (300 HIV sero-positive and 352 HIV sero-negative), 62.7% of the HIV infected and 52.9% of the HIV-negative were infected with various types of intestinal parasites. Infection among HIV sero-positive subjects was statistically higher than that in HIV sero-negative (P>0.05). the isolation of one parasite in the two groups had the highest frguency:53.3% and 41.4% in the two groups respectively, the isolation of two parasites had the highest prevalence in the HIV group:23.3% than in the case of the HIV negative group:14%,the isolation with ≥ 6 parasites only occurred in the HIV positive group:0.3%.Four opportunistic parasites were isolated in the course of this studies and the prevalence was observed to be high in the HIV-positive group: Cryptosporidium sp.35.5%, Microsporidia sp. recorded 19.6%, Cyclospora sp. and Isospora belli recorded 25% and 19.6% respectively than the HIV-negative group were Cryptosporidium had 3.1%, Microsporidia sp., Cyclospora tenesis, and Isospora belli recorded the prevalence of 4.6%,4.9% and 3.4% respectively. This study aimed at showing the prevalence of enteric parasites in HIV/AIDS.