Prevalence and Pattern of Soil-Transmitted Helminthic Infection among HIV-Infected Children attending a Tertiary Health Facility in South Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Soil-transmitted helminthic infection has been postulated to influence the immunologic mechanisms in the body thereby affecting the hosts' ability to control infections like Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). To determine the relationship between soil-transmitted helminthiasis and HIV co-infection in children attending a tertiary health facility in South Eastern Nigeria. This was a comparative crosssectional study involving 210 HIV-positive children and 210 HIV-negative children (age and sex matched) The prevalence rate of helminthic infection in HIV positive children was 5.7%. Ascaris lumbricoides was the commonest species observed both for HIV-positive subjects (3.8%) and the controls (1.4%). There was a negative correlation between CD4 count of HIV-positive subjects and positive stool microscopy (r-0.136; p value = 0.048). The prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis among HIV-infected children attending Paediatric HIV Clinic at Federal Medical Centre, Owerri Imo State was three times higher than in HIVnegative controls. CD4 counts correlated negatively with soil-transmitted helminthic infection. This underscores the need for regular deworming of HIV-infected children.