title: Cryptosporidium and other enteric parasitic infections in HIV-seropositive individuals with and without diarrhoea in Osogbo, Nigeria.
abstract: The primary objective of this cross-sectional study is to correlate the presence of Cryptosporidium and other gastrointestinal parasites with the presence of diarrhoea in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. Stool samples from 96 HIV-seropositive cases were examined for non-opportunistic parasites using the direct and formol-ether concentration methods, while the modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique was used to detect Cryptosporidium spp. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. was 54.2%. Other intestinal parasites detected included Ascaris lumbricoides (59.4%), hookworm (5.2%), Entamoeba histolytica (3.1%), Strongyloides stercoralis (1%) and Taenia spp. (1%). Infection inmales was more common (68.2%) than in females (55.4%) but the difference was not statistically significant. Therewas a significant association between Cryptosporidium infection and CD4+ count (P=0.0001), with the highest parasite prevalence (90%) observed among patients who had the lowest CD4+ count (<200 cells/mm3). Forty-five (86.5%) patients with Cryptosporidium infection presented with diarrhoea and the difference between those with and without diarrhoea was statistically significant (P=0.0001). There was a statistically significant difference (P=0.0001) among the age groups, with the 41-50 group showing the highest prevalence (84.6%) of infection. Co-infection was observed in 13.5% of the patients. As no drug is currently available for the treatment of cryptosporidiosis, emphasis should be placed on educating HIV-infected individuals about prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. stojurongbe@yahoo.com
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ojurongbe
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Raji
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Akindele
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Kareem
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Adefioye
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Adeyeba
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged