[Comparison of intestinal parasite infestation indexes among HIV positive and negative populations].

This study was carried out on two groups of patients treated at the José de San Martín Clinical Hospital. One group was composed of 82 HIV-seropositive patients with no signs of diarrhea, and another one of 300 patients, not suspected of HIV infection, was considered as "control population". Stool samples were collected from each patient and examined for intestinal parasites. These determinations were carried out at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry, in the same Hospital. Three specimens were obtained from each patient and processed in an identical form. Concentration methods, a direct smear technique after centrifugation and the trichrome staining procedure were performed on each sample. The HIV-positive group was found to harbor a higher proportion of intestinal parasites. Outstanding differences between both groups in percentages of parasitoses were observed. Species found in a significantly higher percentage among HIV seropositive patients were: Entamoeba histolytica (26.5%), Iodamoeba bütschlii (16.9%), Dientamoeba fragilis (25.3%), Blastocystis hominis (51.8%), Cryptosporidium sp. (7.2%), and probably Isospora belli (1.2%). No significant differences in percentages of Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba coli, Chilomastix mesnili and helminths were observed between both groups. Within the HIV-positive group, a higher proportion of infestation due to E. histolytica and I. bütschlii was observed in homosexuals-bisexuals than in intravenous drug addicts or heterosexuals.