Prevalence of opportunistic intestinal parasite infection in HIV positive population of central India region

Abstract

Intestinal parasitic infections are major cause of public health problems and mortality and morbidity in tropical countries. However, everyone is suscepti-ble to parasitic infections but HIV/AIDS patients having lower immune status are at greater risk. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in patients living with HIV/AIDS. A total of 244 consecutively sampled HIV/AIDS patients from Peoples College of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bhopal were included in the study. Prior con-sent of every subject was taken before collecting the stool and blood sample of every volunteer for microscopic examination and CD4 cells count. The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was 31.5% among HIV/AIDS pa-tients. Maximum Isospora belli infection (n=27; 35%) were observed. Para-sitic density was higher among the patients having lower CD4 T cells counts (<200/μL). Also, the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was decreas-ing with improvement in CD4 cell count. Considering the outcome of present study, stool examination of every HIV positive individual should also be man-datorily done to identify intestinal parasitic infections, if present and treated accordingly.