Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2013 Oct;7(10):2160-2.
doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2013/5837.3458. Epub 2013 Oct 5.

Enteric Parasitic Infections in Relation to Diarrhoea in HIV Infected Individuals with CD4 T Cell Counts <1000 Cells/μl in Chennai, India

Anand B Janagond  1 , G Sasikala, David Agatha, Thyagarajan Ravinder, P R Thenmozhivalli
Affiliations

Enteric Parasitic Infections in Relation to Diarrhoea in HIV Infected Individuals with CD4 T Cell Counts <1000 Cells/μl in Chennai, India

Anand B Janagond et al. J Clin Diagn Res. 2013 Oct.

Abstract

Aim: This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of enteric parasites in HIV patients in Chennai and to correlate with CD4 counts and diarrhoeal status.

Material and methods: Faecal specimens from 100 HIV infected individuals with CD4 < 1000/μl were screened for enteric parasites with wet mounts, modified acid-fast stain for coccidian parasites, modified trichrome stain for Microsporidia, before and after the stool concentration. Agar plate culture for Strongyloides was put up. Chi-square and ANOVA tests were used for statistical analysis.

Results: Study group comprised of 38 subjects with acute diarrhoea, 30 with chronic diarrhoea (> 2 weeks) and remaining 32 without diarrhoea. Enteric parasites were detected in 33% of subjects; Isoapora belli (21) being the commonest followed by E.histolyt/Entamoeba dispar (5), Entamoeba coli (2), Cryptosporidium spp (2), Hookworms (2), Strongyloides stercoralis (2), Giardia lamblia (1) and Microsporidium spp (1). There was a significant inverse relation between CD4 counts and duration of diarrhoea. Opportunistic parasites were isolated from the subjects with wide range of CD4 counts and different diarrhoeal status but most commonly from chronic diarrhoea patients.

Conclusion: The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in HIV patients is high in Chennai, India, especially at CD4 <1000/μl, I.belli infection being the commonest. Routine screening of all HIV patients with low CD4 counts for coccidian parasitic infections by using simple stool microscopic techniques can help in early diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords: CD4 T cell count; Diarrhoea; Enteric Parasites; HIV; Isospora belli.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

[Table/Fig-1]:
[Table/Fig-1]:
Strongyloides larvae in Agar plate culture (400x). Faecal inoculum at the centre surrounded by track marks formed by larvae inset)
[Table/Fig-2]:
[Table/Fig-2]:
Isospora belli ;(Clockwise from top left) Immature oocyst (Lactophenol cotton blue), Immature oocyst (Acid-fast stain), Mature oocyst (Saline wet mount) and Oocysts with disintegrated sporocyst
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Mamatha B, Rao AS, Asish PR. Opportunistic intestinal protozoal infections in HIV infected patients in a rural cohort population in Manipal, Karnataka (S. India) Indian J Pathol Microbiol. 2005;48:287–8. - PubMed
    1. Kumar SS, Ananthan S, Lakshmi P. Intestinal parasitic infections in HIV infected patients with diarrhoea in Chennai. Indian J Med Microbiol. 2002;20:88–91. - PubMed
    1. Pape JW, Verdier RI, Boncy M, Boncy J, Johnson WD Jr. Cyclospora infection in adults infected with HIV: Clinical manifestations, treatment and prophylaxis. Ann Intern Med. 1994;121:654–7. - PubMed
    1. Chawla R, Ichhpujani RL. Enteric spore-forming opportunistic parasites in HIV/AIDS. Trop parasitol. 2012;1:15–9. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Assefa S, Erko B, Medhin G, Assefa Z, Shimelis T. Intestinal parasitic infections in relation to HIV/AIDS status, diarrhoea and CD4 T-cell count. BMC Infect Dis. 2009;9:155. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources