Profile of Intestinal Parasitic Infections Associated with Diarrhoea in HIV_AIDS Patients in a Tertiary Hospital in Zaria, Nigeria

ENGLISH/ANGLAIS] Affiliations: 1 Department of Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, NIGERIA 2 Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, NIGERIA * Email Address for Correspondence/ Adresse de courriel pour la correspondance: heleninabo@yahoo. co.uk Accepted/Accepté: March, 2012 Full Citation: Inabo HI, Aminu M, Muktar H, Adeniran S. Profile of Intestinal Parasitic Infections Associated with Diarrhoea in HIV/AIDS Patients in a Tertiary Hospital in Zaria, Nigeria. World Journal of Life Sciences and Medical Research 2012;2(2):43-7. Intestinal parasitic infections are among the most chronic human infections globally. Some of the etiological agents are associated with diarrhea which is self-limiting in immuno-competent individuals but may be life-threatening and even fatal in immuno-compromised patients. Diarrheic stool specimens from HIV/AIDS patients and control groups were screened for intestinal parasitic infections using the direct wet mount and formol-ether sedimentation method. A total of 71 patients were enrolled in this study (51 HIV/AIDS positive cases and 20 HIV/AIDS negative controls). Out of the 51cases and 20 control, 36 (70.6%) and 4 (20%) were respectively infected with one or more types of intestinal protozoa and/or helminthes. The overall prevalence rate was 70.6%. The parasites detected among HIV/AIDS patients were Ascaris lumbricoides (3.9%), Ancylostoma duodenale (1.96%), Entamoeba histolytica (7.8%), Giardia lamblia (3.9%) Cryptosporidium parvum (23.5%), Isospora belli (9.8%) and Cyclospora cayetanensis (23.5%). The diagnosis and treatment of emerging helminthic and coccidian parasites should be part of the routine screening for all HIV positive subjects.