Abstract:
Opportunistic intestinal parasitic infections cause significant morbidity and mortality among
HIV infected people due to the down regulation of the immune system. In Ethiopia the
burden of this infection is high due to poor personal and environmental hygiene. The present
study aimed to find the prevalence and associated risk factors of opportunistic intestinal
parasitic infections (OIPIs) in HIV/AIDS patients attending antiretroviral therapy in Debre
Tabor General Hospital. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among
patients attending Debre Tabor General Hospital Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Clinic from
December 2019 to February 2020. Direct wet mount, formol-ether sedimentation, and
modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining techniques were used for parasitological examinations. Data
on CD4+T-cell counts were taken from the patients‘ medical records. Socio-demographic
characteristics and potential associated risk factors for OIPIs were collected using structured
and pretested questionnaires survey. All the data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. Three
hundred and eighty-four ART patients participated in the study. The overall prevalence of
intestinal parasitic infections was 31.17% while that of OIPIs alone was 17.9%. Among
identified intestinal parasites, Cryptosporidium species accounts for the highest frequency
(33/384, 8.59%), followed by Cystoisospora belli (26/384, 6.77%), and Entamoeba
histolytica/dispar 19/384, 4.9%). Being rural residence (AOR=0.197, 95% CI: 0.053-0.734,
P= 0.015, CD4+ T-cell count <200cell/µl (AOR=49.08, 95% CI: 9.440-228.777, P= 0.000),
poor adherence of ART (AOR=7.427, 95% CI 2.488-22.172, P=0.00), diarrheal history less
than three-month (AOR=7.063, 95% CI: 1.88226.512 P=0.004), regular trimming of the
fingernail (AOR=3.665 95% CI: 1.040-12.918 P=0.043), lack of hand washing habit after
toilet (AOR=10.409 95% CI: 1.398-77.497 P= 0.022) and drinking water from the
unprotected source (AOR=14.721, 95 % CI: 3.349-64.71 P=0.000) were determinant factor
for OIPIs. In conclusion, the study indicated that the co-infections rates of OIPs remain a
considerable problem that requires improvement in routine screening for OIPI among ART
patients, particularly with those with poor or declining CD4+
T cell counts.
Keywords: Antiretroviral therapy, HIV/ AIDS patient, Opportunistic intestinal parasite,
Ethiopia