A study on Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in HIV (+) Patients Referred to Ahvaz Razi Hospital in 2008-2009

Background: Accute Immune Deficiency Syndrom (AIDS) is a serious and lethal disease in many parts of the world, rendering a patient sensitive to all opportunistic pathogens that can cause death as the disease progresses. Many patients suffer from intestinal opportunistic infec- tions by parasites. Objectives: The aim of present study was to examine parasitic intestinal infections in AIDS patients in Razi Hospital, Ahvaz. Patients and Methods: We collected 100 stool samples from 60 HIV (+) patients who were referred to Razi Hospital, Ahvaz. The samples were examined by direct and MIF (merthiolate- iodine-formaldehyde) method. All samples were stained with Ziehl-Neelsen (acid fast staining) and trichrome. General data, such as clinical signs, duration of disease, route of infection, and habitat of patient, were obtained by questionnaire. Results: Thirty percent of HIV (+) patients were infected with intestinal protozoan parasites. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of parasite infections between sex or age. The prevalence of parasitic infections was as follows: Blastocystis hominis, 16. 7%; Cryptosporidium parvum, 8. 3%; Endolimax nana, 5%; Entamoeba coli, 5%; Giardia intestinalis, 3. 3%; E. histolytica cyst, 1. 7%, and Dientamoeba fragilis, 1. 7%. Conclusions: This study shows that the prevalence of parasitic infections is not high in HIV (+) patient in Ahvaz compared with other studies, but it is recommended that fecal examination be performed every 3 months to detect serious parasitic infections and that parasitic infections should be treated after laboratory diagnosis and in the presence of the gastrointestinal symptoms.