EPIDEMIOLOGY OF INTESTINAL PARASITIC INFECTIONS AMONG HIV INFECTED POPULATION, IN BUNGOMA COUNTY- KENYA

Abstract

Intestinal parasitic infections are parasites that populate the gastro-intestinal tract of humans adding stress to both the humoral and cellular arms of the immune system already weakened by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), worsening morbidity in the infected person. This study was conducted with an aim of determining the epidemiology of Intestinal parasitic infections among the HIV and AIDS patients in Bungoma County. This was a cross-sectional study of 240 HIV positive and 60 HIV negative individuals. Stool samples were observed for intestinal parasites. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 17.0. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics (frequencies, means and standard deviation). Differences in proportion of prevalence were analyzed using Pearson Chi-square test while differences in mean intensity were analyzed using the student t-test. Factors causing observed differences in the prevalence and intensity of the parasites were analyzed using multiple logistic regression to identify significant factors responsible for observed prevalence. Results were considered significant at P<0.05 α-level. Significantly higher (χ2 = 23.764, df = 1, P = 0.002) prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was recorded among the HIV and AIDS patients (33.4%) compared to (19.3%) in HIV-ve patients. Protozoan and helminthic parasites were the parasites found where the prevalence of intestinal protozoans was higher than that of helminths. The mean intensity of protozoans was found to be significantly (P ≤0.05) higher than the helminths among the patients with HIV infection. Among the protozoans, E. histolytica, E. coli and G. lamblia were higher in intensity (< 100 ind/gm). The helminthic parasites found were A. lumbricoides, A. duodenale, T. trichiura and S stercoralis. All parasites displayed high prevalence during the rainy season (June-October 2010) and low prevalence during the dry period (November 2010-February (2011). Age, levels of education, income levels, smoking and drinking habits as well as dietary habits contributed significantly to increased prevalence of Intestinal parasitic infection among the HIV and AIDS patients. The magnitude of parasitic infection was high in both HIV and AIDS and HIV -ve. It is recommended that routine examination of stool samples for parasites would significantly benefit HIV infected and uninfected individuals by contributing to reduce morbidity.