Prevalence of intestinal parasites seen in HIV sero-positive subjects in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in HIV-infected persons in Port Harcourt, Nigeria; 300 subjects were screened for HIV and intestinal parasites using standard immunological and parasitological methods of diagnosis respectively. Out of the 300 subjects, 254 (85%) were sero-negative (control) while 46 (15%) were sero-positive (test). The seropositives showed higher prevalence rate 12 (46.1%) for intestinal parasites than the sero-negatives 48 (28.5%) but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Braithwaite Memorial Hospital (BMH), had 106 subjects of which 24 were HIV
sero-positive while 30 (28.3%) were infected with intestinal parasites. First Rivers State Hospital (FRH) had 26 out of 194 subjects as HIV sero-positive and 60 (30.9%) infected with intestinal parasite. Cryptosporidium parum and Strongyloides stercoralis were significantly (p<0.05) higher in sero-positives (7.7% and 5.0%) than sero-negatives (0% and 0%) correspondingly. Males 46 (32.5%) were significantly (p<0.05) more infected than females 44 (30.1%). There was no significant (p>0.05) difference between sero-positive females 8 (30.8%) and sero-negative females 36 (30%), however sero-positive males 10 (50%)
and sero-negative males 36 (26.9%) were significantly (p<0.05) different. Age-group < 10 years (41.7%) and rig Engineers (20%) were the greatest risk bearers. The effect of antiretroviral drugs, compromised immunity, standard of living, awareness are discussed in the paper.

Keywords: HIV sero-positive, intestinal parasites, Niger Delta.

Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 29 (2) 2008: pp. 115-120