Cryptosporidium oocysts in Ghanaian AIDS patients with diarrhoea.
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Date
2003
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
East African Medical Journal
Abstract
Background:Although Cryptosporidium spp.infections in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
patients (AIDS) with chronic diarrhoea have been reported in several African countries, there
is no information regarding cryptosporidial diarrhoea in Ghanaian AIDS patients.
Objective:To investigate the occurrence of C. parvumand other gastrointestinal parasitic
agents in Ghanaian AIDS patients with chronic diarrhoea.
Design:Prospective study of HIV/AIDS patients with diarrhoea over a nine month period.
Setting:Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and Korle-Bu Polyclinic Accra, Ghana.
Results:Analysis of stool specimens from clinically diagnosed HIV/AIDS (n=2I; mean CD4
count was 288 cells per microliter, 95% confidence interval of 237 to 340 cells per microliter)
and HIV-seronegative (n=27) patients revealed C. parvumin six (28.6%) of HIV/AIDS and
10 (37.0%) of the HIV-seronegative patients, respectively. Three other HIV/AIDS cases had
other infections involving Strongyloides stercoralis 4.8% (l/21) and Salmonella spp . 9.5%
(2/21). There was no concomitant association between C. parvumand any other parasites
found. Also, no enterobacteria was found in the HIV-seronegative patients.
Conclusion:This study demonstrates the prevalence of Cryptosporidiumsp. in both HIV/
AIDS and HIV-seronegative individuals in Ghana. However, there was no statistical
association between cryptosporidiosis and HIV/AIDS (p>0.05).