Publication: Enteric Opportunistic Parasitic Infections Among HIV- Seropositive Patients in Kathmandu, Nepal
Date
2012
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
Enteric opportunistic parasitic infections are the major source of diarrheal disease
in developing countries mainly in Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected
patients.
Objective
The study was to detect enteric parasites causing diarrhea and their association
with immune status in HIV-seropositive patients.
Methods
The present study was conducted in Dirgh-Jeevan Health Care Research Center
and Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Public Health Research Laboratory,
Kathmandu, Nepal between June 2010 and May 2011 involving 146 Human
Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients. Serostatus from these patients
were detected by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent assay. CD4+ T cell counts were
done by flow cytometry. Stool was examined for enteric parasites by microscopy
with special staining methods.
Results
A total of 146 HIV sero-positive patients with and without diarrhea age between 20
to 45 years were included in the study. Of the 146 patients, the protozoan parasitic
infection was found in 30.13% (44/146). Out of 146 patients, 78 had diarrhea
in which parasitic infection was 39 (50%) and 7.35% (5/68) protozoal parasites
positive cases did not have diarrhea. A significant difference (p<0.05) was observed
in the level of infection of intestinal protozoan between the HIV seropositive with
diarrhea and HIV-seropositive without diarrhea. Out of 43 patients whose CD4+ T
cells were <200/μl, 29 (67.4%) had opportunistic parasitic infection whereas out of
103 patients whose CD4+ T cells were ≥200/μl, only 15 (14.56%) had opportunistic
parasitic infection (P < 0.05).
Conclusion
Enteric opportunistic parasitic infections were detected in 30.1% among HIV-
seropositive patients and low CD4+ T count indicated high enteric opportunistic
infection. Early detection of enteric parasitic infections will help in the management
and to improve the quality of life for HIV-infected individuals.
KEYWORDS
Diarrhea, HIV, Opportunistic parasites
Description
Sherchan JB,1 Ohara H,2 Sakurada S,2 Basnet A,3 Tandukar S,3 Sherchand JB,3 Bam D S4
1Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Nepal
2National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
3Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Public Health Research Laboratory, Kathmandu, Nepal
4Dirgh-Jeevan Health Care Research Center, Tripureswar, Kathmandu, Nepal