title: Intestinal parasitic infections in HIV/AIDS patients: experience at a teaching hospital in central Brazil.
abstract: In order to verify the occurrence of intestinal parasitic infections in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients, 100 HIV/AIDS patients (Group 1) and 85 clinically healthy individuals (Group 2) were submitted to coproparasitological examination. Intestinal parasites were detected in 27% of patients from Group 1 and in 17.6% from Group 2. In Group 1 the most frequent parasites were Strongyloides stercoralis (12%), with 2 cases of hyperinfection; Isospora belli, 7%; Cryptosporidium sp., 4%; with 1 asymptomatic case and hookworm, 4%. Of the infected patients from Group 1 who reported to be chronic alcoholics, 64.3% had strongyloidiasis. Only 6 of the 27 infected patients from Group 1 were on highly antiretroviral therapy (HAART). In Group 2 the most frequent parasites were S. stercoralis, 7.1%; hookworm, 7.1% and Giardia lamblia, 3.5%. In conclusion, diagnosing intestinal parasites in HIV/AIDS patients is necessary especially in those who report to be chronic alcoholics or are not on antiretroviral treatment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudio V da
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Marcelo S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Aércio S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Julia M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Costa-Cruz
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D006376:Helminths / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology