Browsing by Author "Mbakwe, O. L."

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    Prevalence of intestinal parasites in HIV patients in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
    (Esxon, 2012-12-24) Mgbemena, I. C.; Ebe, T.; Adjeroh, L. A.; Mbakwe, O. L.
    One hundred (100) HIV seropositive patients were compared with thirty seronegative patients with respect to the prevalence of intestinal parasites. Stool samples were collected and examined for parasites using direct saline/lodine (wet mount preparation), formol-ether concentration method and Modified Acid Fast Stain (AFS), their HIV status was also confirmed with standard diagnostic kit by serological methods. 64% and 23.3% of HIV seropositive and seronegative patients respectively were found to have intestinal. Parasites identified included Gardia lambli, Entamoeba histolytica, Ascaris lumbricoides, Isospora belli, Hookworm and Entamoeba coli among which Entamoeba coli (34.4%) had the highest occurrence in the seropostive patients. Gardia lambli, Hookworms and Isospora belli were not observed in the seronegative patients. Infection was higher in younger age group (21 ā€“ 40 years). There was no significant difference in the degree of infection between male and female HIV seropositive patients (Pā‰„0.05). Protozoan parasites (71.9%) had more prevalence than Helminth parasites (28.1%) in both HIV seropositive and seronegative patients. Results of this study recommend that HIV infection increases the risk of acquiring intestinal parasites. Therefore patients with HIV infection should be regularly examined with stool microscopy for early detection and treatment of parasitic infection so as to minimize the chances of these parasites adding to the complications associated HIV cases.