Intestinal parasitic infection in HIV infected patients with diarrhoea in Chennai.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in HIV patients with and without diarrhoea in Chennai.


METHODS
A total of 150 stool samples, 41 - acute diarrhoea, 59 - chronic diarrhoea and 50 control samples without diarrhoea were collected and examined for enteric parasites by microscopy.


RESULTS
Enteric parasites were detected in 39% patients with diarrhoea compared to 14% in patients without diarrhoea. Isospora belli was found in 18.6% (11/59) of chronic diarrhoea and 7.3% (3/41) in acute diarrhoea (P > 0.2). Cryptosporidium was detected in 7 cases each in acute and chronic diarrhoea, which was statistically insignificant as compared to the control group (P> 0.05). Microsporidia and Cyclospora cayetanensis associated diarrhoea were detected in only one chronic case each 1/59 (1.69 %).


CONCLUSIONS
Isospora belli appeared to be a predominant parasite associated with diarrhoea among HIV patients. Detection rate of Microsporidia and Cyclospora was found to be very low.
Kumar
S S
SS
Dept. of Microbiology, Dr. ALM PGIBMS, University of Madras, Taramani, Chennai - 600 113, India.
Ananthan
S
S
Lakshmi
P
P