[Clinical feature of cryptosporidium infection in HIV/AIDS patients with chronic diarrhea].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical feature of cryptosporidium infection in HIV/AIDS patients with chronic diarrhea.


METHODS
253 Stool samples were collected from HIV/AIDS patients with chronic diarrhea during Nov.2009 to Dec.2010. The samples were concentrated by Formalin-Ethyl Acetate Sedimentation technique and stained by Modified acid-fast stain (AFS) for the identification of oocysts by microscopy. Divided the cases into three groups according to their CD4 cell counts (< 200, ≥ 200 and < 500, ≥ 500/µl); meanwhile the cases were divided into three groups by their age (20 - 35, 36 - 55, 56 - 69). Analyzed the groups by comparison.


RESULTS
The total infection rate of Cryptosporidium in AIDS patients was 12.6% in 253 cases. CD4(+) T-lymphocyte counts was related to the infection rates of cryptosporidium, the difference was statistically significant (χ(2) = 10.33, P < 0.01): the infection rate were 20.4% (20/98), 9.23% (12/130), 0 (0/25) separately. In the 32 Cryptosporidium positive cases, 22 (68.8%) cases stood with diarrhea above 5 times per day, the three kind of CD4 counts level were separately 15 (15/20), 7 (7/12), 0. The difference was no statistically significant (P > 0.05). HIV/AIDS patients with chronic diarrhea who progressed during asymptomatic period, pre-AIDS period, AIDS period, had the infection rate of 0(0/7), 21.3% (19/89), 8.3% (13/157) respectively, the difference was statistically significant (χ(2) = 9.822, P < 0.01); 22 out of 32 Cryptosporidium positive cases in HIV patients were diagnosed with enteritis, the infection rate in urban area and rural area was 6.5% (7/104) and 16.8% (25/149) separately, the difference was statistically significant (χ(2) = 5.596, P < 0.05). Comparing different age groups, Cryptosporidium infection status were separately 7.3% (4/55), 13.4% (22/164), 17.6% (6/34). Each group's comparative difference was no statistically significant (χ(2) = 2.29, P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The infection rate of cryptosporidium and clinical severity of cryptosporidium infection are statistically correlated with CD4(+) T-lymphocyte counts, with AIDS stage, with HIV associated proctitis.
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100015, China.
Bing-xin
BX
Jiao
Hui-zhu
HZ
Wang
Ying
Y
Liu
Juan
J
Li
Jie
J
Guo
Min
M
Li
Gang
G
Wan
Wen-hao
WH
Hua
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult