Prevalence of opportunistic enteric parasitic infections in hiv infected individuals and their correlation with cd4 count

Background and Objectives: Intestinal opportunistic infections have been recognized as common complications of HIV infection. The aim of this study was to identify and determine the prevalence of opportunistic enteric parasites affecting the HIV-infected patients and to correlate the presence of these parasites with CD4+ T-cell counts. Materials and Methods: Fecal samples were collected from 100 HIV-seropositive individuals with diarrhea and examined for enteric parasites by direct microscopy. A blood samples were taken for CD4 counts simultaneously. The prevalence of various enteric parasites in patients with CD4 count 500 cells/μl in HIV-infected patients was compared. Results: Enteric parasites were detected in 62% of patients with diarrhea in HIV-seropositive individuals. Among them, Cryptosporidium parvum (48.3%) was the most common parasite followed by Isospora belli (16.1%). The prevalence of enteric parasites was significantly higher ( P P 200 cells/μl (81.48% vs. 39.1%). Conclusion: Opportunistic enteric parasitic infections are very common in HIV-infected individuals with chronic diarrhea and low CD4 counts. It can be recommended to stool examination in this group of patients, which may help in early treatment and prevention of morbidity.