Opportunistic parasitic infections in HIV/AIDS patients presenting with diarrhoea by the level of immunesuppression.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Enteric parasites are major cause of diarrhoea in HIV infected individuals. The present study was undertaken to detect enteric parasites in HIV infected patients with diarrhoea at different levels of immunity.

METHODS: The study was carried out at National AIDS Research Institute, Pune, India, between March 2002 and March 2007 among consecutively enrolled 137 HIV infected patients presenting with diarrhoea. Stool samples were collected and examined for enteric parasites by microscopy and special staining methods. CD4 cell counts were estimated using the FACS count system.

RESULTS: Intestinal parasitic pathogens were detected in 35 per cent patients, and the major pathogens included Cryptosporidium parvum (12%) the most common followed by Isospora belli (8%), Entamoeba histolytica/Enatmoeba dispar (7%), Microsporidia (1%) and Cyclospora (0.7%). In HIV infected patients with CD4 count < 200 cells/microl, C. parvum was the most commonly observed (54%) pathogen. Proportion of opportunistic pathogens in patients with CD4 count <200 cells/microl was significantly higher as compared with other two groups of patients with CD4 count >200-499 and >or= 500 cells/microl (P=0.001, P=0.016) respectively.

INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Parasitic infections were detected in 35 per cent HIV infected patients and low CD4 count was significantly associated with opportunistic infection. Detection of aetiologic pathogens might help clinicians decide appropriate management strategies.