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Prevalence of intestinal parasites in seropositive and seronegative to HTLV I/II viruses

Abstract:

The prevalence of intestinal parasites in individuals seropositive for the HTLV-I/II virus was studied. A total of 75 donors who attended the blood banks of two health institutions in Maracaibo, Venezuela were randomly selected: 50 patients seropositive for HTLV-I/II (study group) and 25 seronegative individuals (control group). The participants in the study were all contacted personally, after which they provided a fecal sample for parasitological diagnosis. The fresh samples were examined using 0.85% physiological saline solution (PSS), Lugol's solution for temporary staining and the formalin-ether concentration technique (Ritchie). In addition, samples were cultured on nutrient agar (Arakaki method) to determine the presence of Strongyloides stercoralis larvae. Overall prevalences of 54% intestinal parasites in the study group and 44% in the control group were found. Monoparasitism prevailed among all the individuals studied. The species identified in the study and control groups were: Blastocystis spp. 47.3% and 15.4%, Entamoeba coli 21% and 15.4%, Endolimax nana 13.0% and 53.8%, Entamoeba complex 10.5% and 15.4%, Giardia intestinalis 5.2% and 0%, and Entamoeba hartmanni 2.6% and 0 %, respectively. Strongyloides stercoralis and other intestinal helminths were not detected in the individuals studied. Blastocystis spp. was significantly more common in seropositive patients than in the control group, which could be associated with a greater persistence of this chromista in patients co-infected with HTLV-I / II.It can be concluded that the positive serological status of HTLV-I / II infected individuals does not seem to influence either the presence or acquisition of intestinal parasites.