title: [Prevalence of intestinal microsporidia and other intestinal parasites in hiv positive patients from Maracaibo, Venezuela].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect the presence of microsporidia and other enteric parasites in patients with HIVAIDS of the Autonomous Services University Hospital of Maracaibo (SAHUM), where there are no previous studies in this field.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fecal samples were analyzed by means of direct exam, concetration method with formal-ether, Kinyoun coloration and fast Gram-Chromotrope coloration. Separate PCR were perfomed to differentiate Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar , when the E. histolytica/E. dispar complex was observed in the microscope. Information on the patient was obtained trough clinical history.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 56 individuals that participated, 38 (67.86%) presented some commensal parasite and/ or pathogenic species in their fecal sample. Carriers of pathogenic species were predominat (26/38). Protozoa such as Isospora belli protozoa (17.65%), Blastocystis spp. (17.65%), Cryptosporidium spp. (7.84%), E. histolytica/E. dispar (5.88%), Entamoeba coli (3.92%), Giardia lamblia (3.92%), Endolimax nana (3.92%), Cyclospora cayetanensis (3.92%), and Chilomastix mesnilli (1.96%) were diagnosed. Among the helminths, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and Strongyloides stercoralis , had a percentage of 27.27% each, and Hymenolepis nana , 18.18%. Entamoeba histolytica was only detected in one of three cases presenting complex microscopic examination. By Gram-chromotrope, 17 samples showed spores of the Microsporidia phylum, equivalent to 33.33% prevalence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microsporidia may be first prevalente in HIV positive patients when specific diagnostic techniques are used.
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Bioanálisis, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Zulbey
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rivero-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Salud, Programa de Microbiología, Universidad Popular del Cesar, Valledupar, Colombia.
authors.forename: Amparo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Bioanálisis, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Ángela
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Bracho
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Salud, Programa de Microbiología, Universidad Popular del Cesar, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Solneumar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Villalobos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016814:Microsporidia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016881:Microsporidiosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014504:Urban Health; D014687:Venezuela / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult