The prevalence and clinical significance of intestinal parasites in HIV-infected patients in Denmark

TY - JOUR

T1 - The prevalence and clinical significance of intestinal parasites in HIV-infected patients in Denmark

AU - Stensvold, Christen Rune

AU - Nielsen, Susanne Dam

AU - Badsberg, Jens Henrik

AU - Engberg, Jørgen

AU - Friis-Møller, Nina

AU - Nielsen, Sanne Søgaard

AU - Nielsen, Henrik Vedel

AU - Friis-Møller, Alice

PY - 2011/2

Y1 - 2011/2

N2 - To investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of intestinal parasites in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, faecal specimens from 96 HIV-infected patients were submitted to microbiological analyses, including microscopy and polymerase chain reaction for protozoa and enteropathogenic bacteria. Results of microbiological analyses were compared with self-reported gastrointestinal complaints collected using a validated questionnaire. Thirty-two (33%) patients were positive for parasites. However, opportunistic parasites (Isospora and Cryptosporidium) were detected in only 2 instances. Entamoeba dispar was detected in 10 cases, 9 of which represented men who have sex with men (MSM). Despite generally low HIV RNA loads and high CD4 T-cell counts, 42% of the 76 patients reporting symptoms complained of diarrhoea, 31% of whom were parasite-positive. The presence of diarrhoea was not associated with the presence or absence of parasites; neither was it associated with receiving highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) in general, or protease inhibitors (PI) in particular. A CD4 T-cell count <200 cells/mm 3 was not associated with parasitic infection or with diarrhoea. The data show that diarrhoea is a common symptom among HIV-infected patients in Denmark, but do not indicate that the diarrhoea is due to intestinal parasites.

AB - To investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of intestinal parasites in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, faecal specimens from 96 HIV-infected patients were submitted to microbiological analyses, including microscopy and polymerase chain reaction for protozoa and enteropathogenic bacteria. Results of microbiological analyses were compared with self-reported gastrointestinal complaints collected using a validated questionnaire. Thirty-two (33%) patients were positive for parasites. However, opportunistic parasites (Isospora and Cryptosporidium) were detected in only 2 instances. Entamoeba dispar was detected in 10 cases, 9 of which represented men who have sex with men (MSM). Despite generally low HIV RNA loads and high CD4 T-cell counts, 42% of the 76 patients reporting symptoms complained of diarrhoea, 31% of whom were parasite-positive. The presence of diarrhoea was not associated with the presence or absence of parasites; neither was it associated with receiving highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) in general, or protease inhibitors (PI) in particular. A CD4 T-cell count <200 cells/mm 3 was not associated with parasitic infection or with diarrhoea. The data show that diarrhoea is a common symptom among HIV-infected patients in Denmark, but do not indicate that the diarrhoea is due to intestinal parasites.

U2 - 10.3109/00365548.2010.524659

DO - 10.3109/00365548.2010.524659

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 20936912

SN - 2374-4235

VL - 43

SP - 129

EP - 135

JO - Infectious Diseases

JF - Infectious Diseases

IS - 2

ER -