Mintage Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Sciences (ISSN: 2320-3315)

Author(s): ETEFIA ETEFIA, PAUL INYANG-ETOH

This was a case-control survey on the evaluation of intestinal parasite loads, haemoglobin levels and CD4 counts of patients on antiretroviral combination therapy (cART) in Calabar, Nigeria. Methods: Stool samples were collected from case-control study of 500 participants with 350 people living with HIV on cART and 150 HIV negative participants and examined using direct microscopy, formol-ether concentration technique and modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique; Human Immunodeficiency virus status was determined using serial HIV testing algorithm; Haemoglobin levels were determined using cyanmethaemoglobin method; CD4 count was analyzed using PartecCyFlow counter. Results: Among the test subjects, 11.14 (39/350) were infected with enteric parasites, mean helminth ova count was 494.36+37.50 ova/g with mean haemoglobin level of 10.24+0.28 g/dl. Entamaoeba histolytica (31%) was the commonest protozoan parasite, Ascaris lumbricoides (15%) was the commonest helminth parasite and Cryptosporidium parvum (23%) was the commonest opportunistic parasite. Conclusion: It is recommended that strategies aimed at diagnosing and treating for intestinal parasite infections, monitoring and improving the haemoglobin levels of people living with HIV be encouraged.