Parasitic infections in HIV-infected patients who visited Seoul National University Hospital during the period 1995-2003.
The prevalence of parasitic infections was investigated in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients (n = 105) who visited Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea, during the period from 1995 to 2003. Fecal samples were collected from 67 patients for intestinal parasite examinations, and sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage samples from 60 patients for examination of Pneumocystis carinii. Both samples were obtained from 22 patients. Thirty-three (31.4%) of the 105 were found to have parasitic infections; Cryptosporidium parvum (10.5%; 7/67), Isospora belli (7.5%; 5/67), Clonorchis sinensis (3.0%; 2/67), Giardia lamblia (1.5%; 1/67), Gymnophalloides seoi (1.5%; 1/67), and Pneumocystis carinii (28.3%; 17/60). The hospital records of the 11 intestinal parasite-infected patients showed that all suffered from diarrhea. This study shows that parasitic infections are important clinical complications in HIV-infected patients in the Republic of Korea.
Guk
Sang-Mee
SM
Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
Seo
Min
M
Park
Yun-Kyu
YK
Oh
Myoung-Don
MD
Choe
Kang-Won
KW
Kim
Jae-Lip
JL
Choi
Min-Ho
MH
Hong
Sung-Tae
ST
Chai
Jong-Yil
JY
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000469:parasitology*; D000328:Adult; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*