Cryptosporidiosis in HIV positive- patients, Bandar Abbas, Iran

Introduction and Objectives: Cryptosporidiosis is a parasitic disease caused by a small protozoa of the genus coccidia. Due to its communal state between humans and animals, it found to be a significant issue in the medical and veterinary world. Transmission of fecal-oral infections occurs through direct and indirect contact with food and contaminated drinks. Many HIV-positive individuals live in the areas where intestinal parasites are hyper-endemic. Given the significance of the study associated with opportunistic infectious diseases in this group of patients, we decided to study the frequency of the parasite in those individuals. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, we studied the fecal specimen of HIV positive patients under the care of center for Behavioral Disease Counseling (BDC) of Bandar Abbas. The formalin-ether concentration method and then the Ziehl-Neelsen modified staining were used to investigate intestinal coccidial oocysts, including cryptosporidium. Results: Out of the 133 patients, 80 were males (60.25) and 53 were females (39.8%). The mean age of the patients was 42.15, of which the youngest was 12 and the oldest 82. The tests showed no cryptosporidium or other intestinal coccidia in any of the samples. Conclusion: Monitoring and evaluating the therapeutic process of the patients lead to less infectious diseases, especially those of opportunistic parasites.

Keywords:

Cryptosporidium , Bandar Abbas , HIV