Trypanosoma cruzi parasitemia in chronic Chagas disease: comparison between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative patients.
This study evaluated Trypanosoma cruzi parasitemia in persons with chronic Chagas disease, compared the parasitemia in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and -negative subjects, and, for HIV-positive subjects, analyzed the association between parasitemia and occurrence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-defining illnesses, CD4 cell counts, HIV loads, and antiretroviral therapy. In total, 110 adults with chronic Chagas disease (29 HIV positive, 81 HIV negative) were studied. T. cruzi parasitemia was evaluated by xenodiagnosis, blood culture, and direct microscopic examination of blood. T. cruzi parasitemia was detected significantly more frequently in HIV-positive than in HIV-negative subjects (odds ratio, 12.3; 95% confidence interval, 3.7-41.2). HIV-positive patients also had higher levels of parasitemia. No statistically significant association was seen between parasitemia and the variables of interest among the HIV-positive subjects.
Clinic of Infectious and Parasitic Disease and AIDS Clinic, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil. amsartori@sti.com.br
Ana Marli C
AM
Sartori
José Eluf
JE
Neto
Elizabete Visone
EV
Nunes
Lucia Maria Almeida
LM
Braz
Hélio H
HH
Caiaffa-Filho
Oswaldo da Cruz
Oda C
Oliveira
Vicente Amato
VA
Neto
Maria Aparecida
MA
Shikanai-Yasuda
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000469:parasitology*; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000302:isolation & purification