PREVALENCE OF INTESTINAL PARASITES AMONG HIV/AIDS PATIENTS IN KANO, NIGERIA

Abstract

Background: Parasitic infestation of the intestinal tract is a major source of disease in patients with HIV infection in the tropics, where diarrhea of variable severity is a common complaint in which specific treatable causative pathogens is often isolated. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites among patients with HIV/AIDS at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano Nigeria. Methods: A cross sectional study of two hundred (200) HIV positive patients was carried out to determine the presence of intestinal parasites in them irrespective of whether or not they had diarrhea. Patients' fresh stool samples were examined microscopically and their CD4 count determined. Result: Out of the 200 patients, 69 (34.5%) had intestine parasites irrespective of their diarrhea status. Of these 38 (55.2%) had diarrhoea, while 31 (44.2%) did not. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of intestinal parasites among those with diarrhea and those without (p greater than 0.05). The most commonly isolated pathogen was E. histolyica accounting for 33 (47.8%). This was followed by G. lambia 13 (18%), hookworm (N. americanus) 4 (5.8%), Entamoeba coli 3 (4.3%), and S stercoralis 4 (5.8%). T Hominis, H. nana, S. mansoni and Cryptosporidium each accounted for 2(2.9%) while A. lumbricoides, T trichiura, D. latum and I. beli each accounted for 1 (1.14%) occurrence. Conclusion Intestinal parasitic infestation is common among HIV/AIDs patients in our environment with E. histolytica being the most common isolate

Keywords

• prevalence
• intestinal parasites
• hiv/aids
• kano
• nigeria