title: [Frequency of intestinal microsporidian infections in HIV-positive patients, as diagnosis by quick hot Gram chromotrope staining and PCR].
abstract: Microsporidia are intracellular obligate parasites, today mainly associated with diarrhea in AIDS patients. Microsporidia prevalence ranges from 8% to 52% in different countries, as evaluated by several diagnostic methods, such as the stain test and PCR. In Medellín, Colombia, its frequency is unknown, and hence, a study was undertaken to determine the frequency of intestinal microsporidiosis in HIV patients, by means of the quick-hot Gram chromotrope test and the PCR. A prospective and descriptive study of an intentional population of all HIV-positive patients was sent to the Grupo Interdisciplinario para el Estudio de las Parasitosis Intestinales laboratory by institutions treating the HIV-positive patients of Medellín between August 2001 and September 2002. The clinical-epidemiological survey included a serial stool test with direct concentration and special stains for coccidiae and intestinal microsporidia. In addition, counts of lymphocytes TCD4+ and viral load were requested. One hundred and three patients with ages ranging from 2-74 years were evaluated. Seventy percent presented with diarrhea--mostly in men (83.5%). The overall frequency of intestinal microsporidiosis was 3.9% and that of other intestinal parasitic infections was 39.8%. Three of the four patients positive for microsporida were infected with Enterocytozoon bieneusi and one with Encephalitozoon intestinalis. The microsporidiosis frequency was relatively low with 3 of the 4 cases associated with protracted diarrhea, counts of LTCD4+ below 100 cel/microl and viral loads up to 100,000 copies.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. jbotero@quimbaya.udea.edu.co
authors.forename: Jorge H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Botero
authors.forename: Martha Nelly
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Montoya
authors.forename: Adriana Lucía
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Vanegas
authors.forename: Abel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Navarro-i-Martínez
authors.forename: Fernando Jorge
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Bornay
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Izquierdo
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: del Aguila
authors.forename: Sonia del Pilar
authors.initials: Sdel P
authors.lastname: Agudelo
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005840:Gentian Violet; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016814:Microsporidia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016881:Microsporidiosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010619:Phenazines; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: C035863:Gram's stain; D010619:Phenazines; D005840:Gentian Violet