Prevalence and Correlation of Cryptosporidiosis with CD4+ count in HIV/AIDS Patients Attending HIV Treatment Clinic at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria

Abstract

Background: Cryptosporidiosis is a protozoal infection caused by Cryptosporidium species which manifest with chronic diarrhoea among HIV/AIDS patients resulting in high morbidity and mortality among this group. The aim of this study was to correlate the occurrence with CD4⁺ cell count among HIV seropositive patients presenting with diarrhoea at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional comparative study among 183 HIV seropositive patients attending the HIV treatment clinic of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria and 183 seronegative controls. Stool samples were collected from each participant and processed using formol ether concentration method and the supernatant from the concentration was used for ELISA (Prospect Oxoid UK) to detect Cryptosporidium antigen. The blood samples from participants at the general out-patient department were subjected for HIV screening using Determine while the blood samples from participants at the HIV treatment clinic were analysed using Partec CyFlow® CD4 easy kit for CD4⁺ cell quantification. Results: A total of 366 diarrhoeal stool samples were collected from HIV seropositive and HIV seronegative patients, 9 (4.9%) were positive for Cryptosporidium antigen by ELISA. In HIV seronegative patients, only 1 (0.55%) Cryptosporidium oocyst was positive. Five (55.6%) of the HIV seropositive patients with cryptosporidiosis had CD4⁺ count less than 200 cells/ml and 4 (44.4%) had a CD4⁺ count between 200-349, there was a significant association between CD4⁺ cell count and occurrence of cryptosporidiosis (OR = 5.55, p = 0.007). Conclusion: Cryptosporidiosis was found to be prevalent among HIV patients with low CD4⁺ cell counts