Correlation of viral load to intestinal parasitosis in HIV seropositive patients attending U.I.T.H., Ilorin

Abstract

Background: Intestinal parasitosis is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Many researchers have defined the spectrum of intestinal parasites in HIV seropositive Nigerians at various levels of CD4+ counts.There is paucity of information on the relationship between intestinal parasitosis and viral load among Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS. Objective: To correlate the pattern and density of intestinal parasitosis in HIV seropositive individuals, to the degree of their viraemia. Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional study involving 500 participants comprising 250 HIV positive patients as test and 250 HIV negative patients as control. Participants were from the Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) clinic and GOPD of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Ilorin. Collected blood and stool samples were screened for HIV infection, CD4+ cell count and HIV viral load estimation and gastrointestinal parasites. Result: Intestinal parasitosis of 60.8% in HIV positive patients was significantly higher than 16.4% in HIV negative controls (p< 0.05). Single intestinal parasitosis is commoner (48.8%) than multiple parasitosis (12.0%) in the HIV positive test group. Parasites identified from test subjects were Ascaris lumbricoides (10.4%), Hookworm (3.6%), Strongyloides stercoralis larva (2%) and the Coccidian parasites (55.6%). The mean CD4+ count of the HIV patients was 232.1±189.3 (range 1-882 cells/µl) while the mean viral load was 372,306±824150.7 (range 20 – 7,369,327 copies/ml). Intestinal parasitosis was seen at CD4 count < 207cells/µl and a viral load >7085 copies/ml. Conclusion: In this study, intestinal parasitosis occurs in HIV infected with markedly depressed immunity evident by a low CD4+ cell count and high viral load.