Gastrointestinal and urinary tract pathogenic infections among HIV seropositive patients at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana.
BACKGROUND
Gastrointestinal and urinary tract pathogenic infections are aggravating the incidence and progression of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection into Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) more especially in the developing countries. This study was conducted to assess the common gastrointestinal and urinary infections among HIV/AIDS patients at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Ghana between April and December 2008.


RESULTS
This work reports on gastrointestinal and urinary tract pathogenic infections among 500 HIV seropositive and 300 HIV seronegative patients. There was a 35% (175/500) prevalence of intestinal parasites among HIV seropositive patients compared to 4.3% (13/300) in HIV seronegative patients. Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium accounted for 19% (95/500) and 14% (70/500) respectively, while Schistosoma mansoni, Strongyloides stercoralis and hookworm together accounted for 2% (10/500) of intestinal parasitic infections among the HIV seropositive patients. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in urinary parasitic infection between HIV seropositive 1% (2/500) and seronegative patients 0.7% (2/300). Most, 60 (86%) out of 70, of the urinary tract infection among the HIV seropositive patients was due to bacteria with E. coli being the most predominant isolate, 28 (47%) out of 60. There was no significant difference in infections based on age and gender.


CONCLUSIONS
G. lamblia and Cryptosporidium were the most common gastrointestinal parasites detected while bacteria accounted for majority of the urinary tract infections among the HIV seropositive patients at the hospital.
Microbiology Department, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.
Yaw Agyekum
YA
Boaitey
Bernard
B
Nkrumah
Ali
A
Idriss
Samuel Crowther Kofi
SC
Tay
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology