Prevalence of intestinal parasites in Cuban acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients

A coproparasitological study was carried out on 67 acquired immunodeficienc y syndrome (AIDS) patients admitted at the Institute of Tropical Medicine ' Pedro Kouri'. The results were compared with 136 HIV-seronegative patients (control group) who were also hospitalised in the same period. In both grou ps monoparasitism was more prevalent than polypapasitism and intestinal pro tozoa were more prevalent than helminths. At least one intestinal parasite was found in 34 (51%) of the 67 AIDS patients and in 65 (48%) of the contro l group patients. Intestinal coccidia were only detected in AIDS patients; Cryptosporidium spp. was the most prevalent, with eight cases (11.9%), foll owed by Cyclospora cayetanensis with two cases (3.0%) and Isospora belli in one case (1.5%). The microsporidia Encephalitosoon (Septata) intestinalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi were not detected. With regard to the prevalenc e of other pathogenic intestinal parasites in AIDS patients and the control group, no differences were found. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B .V. All rights reserved.