High carriage rate of intestinal parasites among asymptomatic HIV-seropositive individuals on antiretroviral therapy attending the tertiary care hospital in Varanasi, India

INTRODUCTION: Infections by intestinal parasites (IPs) are prevalent among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive individuals. Although diarrhea is the usual manifestation, asymptomatic presentations are common. In such situations, the problem of parasitosis is often underestimated. This study was performed to assess the presence of IPs among asymptomatic HIV-seropositive patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case–control study was designed, including stool samples from 75 asymptomatic HIV-seropositive patients and 75 seronegative patients with gastrointestinal discomfort. IPs was identified by microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Entamoeba spp, Cryptosporidium and Microsporidium spp. The data were statistically analyzed using the Chi-square test. RESULTS: The prevalence of IPs in HIV-seropositive cases (25.33%) was statistically significantly more (P < 0.05) than that of controls (4%). Helminths predominated in both the groups. PCR detected IPs in 5 (6.6%) additional microscopy-negative cases. The presence of IPs was associated with CD4 count <200 cells/μl. CONCLUSION: The asymptomatic carriage of IPs in HIV patients poses an important reservoir in the community. To prevent transmission, frequent screening is needed.