DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i08.024

Pages: 2858-2864

Enteric parasitic infections are important issues on public health, mainly when they are associated with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The objective of this study was to understand the prevalence and the risk factors associated with enteric parasites among HIV-positive patients who were attending at the single specialized assistance health service in HIV/AIDS in Pelotas, a city in southern Brazil. Out of 273 patients who were interviewed in this study, 19.8% had enteric parasites, and the most frequent pathogens were Trichuris trichiura, Giardia lamblia and Ascaris lumbricoides. The prevalence of opportunistic enteric parasites (Cryptosporidium spp., Cystoisospora belli and Strongyloides stercoralis) was low; and it was 1.9% and 2.4%, respectively, among who were and were not undergoing antiretroviral therapy (HAART). This difference was not statistically significant. People in socially vulnerable conditions, who had domestic animals and were not undergoing HAART, would have more chance to suffer from enteric parasitic infection when contrasted with the compared groups. The study has shown that it is necessary to adopt and carry out preventive and diagnosis actions among HIV-positive patients.