title: Intestinal parasitic infections among HIV seropositive and high risk group subjects for HIV infection in Nepal.
abstract: Present study was carried out to find out the prevalence of intestinal parasites in HIV seropositive (HIV+) subjects and high risk group (HRG) for HIV infection in Nepal. A total 196 (HIV+: n = 112; Age: 16-52 years and HRG: n = 84; Age: 16-39 years) individuals were included. Stool specimens were examined by direct smear, formal-ether sedimentation, Sheather's sucrose floatation and Kinoyun modified Ziehl-Neelsen methods. Overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 35.7% (70/196) (26.7% in HIV+ subjects and 47.6% in HRG subjects). Trichuris trichiura was the commonest parasite in HIV+ subjects (50.0%), whereas hookworm was most common among HRG subjects (56.8%). There was an association of parasitic infections with the gastrointestinal tract symptoms in both the study subjects. Tibeto-Burmans study subjects had marginally higher prevalence than Indo-Aryans study subjects (P > 0.05). Multiparasitic infections were relatively more common among HIV+ subjects (7.2%) in comparison to HRG subjects (4.8%). Similarly the protozoan infections were relatively higher in HIV+ subjects (4.5%) compared with HRG subjects (1.2%). The opportunistic protozoa Cryptosporidium parvum was detected only in 5.2% HIV+ subjects.
authors.affiliation: Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuwan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: Nabaraj A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Adhikari
authors.forename: Shiba Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.forename: Anjana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Sanchita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dahal
authors.forename: Gyanendra
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ghimire
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires