The utility of screening for parasitic infections in HIV-1-infected Africans with eosinophilia in London.
The presence of asymptomatic eosinophilia in HIV patients has been demonstrated to have a wide variety of causes. Untreated parasitic infections in immunocompromised individuals can have potentially serious consequences. The utility of screening for parasitic infections in immigrant HIV-positive Africans with eosinophilia was investigated in a UK-based HIV clinic. HIV-positive African patients with eosinophilia were matched with HIV-positive African controls without eosinophilia. More than half of African HIV patients with eosinophilia had positive parasitic serology, and were significantly more likely to have positive serology compared with African HIV patients without eosinophilia. This study shows that asymptomatic eosinophilia in HIV-1-infected Africans is strongly suggestive of underlying parasitic infection. Individuals with eosinophilia should thus be screened for parasitic infections according to the infections prevalent in the countries they have lived in or visited for substantial periods of time.
Sarner
Liat
L
The Greenway Centre, Newham General Hospital, Glen Road, London E13 8SL, UK. liatsarner@hotmail.com
Fakoya
Ade O
AO
Tawana
Cheryl
C
Allen
Elizabeth
E
Copas
Andrew J
AJ
Chiodini
Peter L
PL
Fenton
Kevin A
KA
D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies