TITLE:
Non-Opportunistic Intestinal Parasitic Infections in People Living with HIV Undergoing Antiretroviral Therapy in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
AUTHORS:
Géril Sékangué Obili, Fulgence Raymond Amona, Archange Michel Emmanuel Mboungou Malonga, Irène Raïssa Djendja Ingoba, Raïssa Roméonde Osséré, Gaëtan Gackosso, Edith Sophie Kombo Bayonne
KEYWORDS:
PLHIV, Intestinal Parasitic Infections, Protozoan Infections, Monoparasitism, Brazzaville
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Microbiology,
Vol.15 No.10,
October
30,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: HIV infection remains a major public health problem. It is associated with co-infections, including intestinal parasitic infections. The aim of this study was to investigate intestinal parasitic infections in people living with HIV undergoing antiretroviral therapy. Materials and methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from October 2024 to June 2025 in outpatient treatment centers in Brazzaville. It involved PLHIV undergoing antiretroviral therapy, with or without diarrhea, who had given their informed consent. The stool samples collected were subjected to parasitological examination using a concentration technique in the Parasitology Laboratory of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Results: The total number of PLHIV included was 261. The median age was 49.0 years (42, 72). The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 19.5% (51/261). They mainly affected women (20.2%, 41/203), with no significant difference (p = 0.617). PLHIV were exclusively carriers of monoparasitism. The intestinal parasites identified were E. histolytica/dispar (14.90%), E. coli (2.7%), 1 case of G. intestinalis, 1 case of T. intestinalis, 1 case of S. stercoralis, 1 case of A. lumbricoides, and 1 case of hookworm. Conclusion: Intestinal parasitic infections in PLHIV are dominated by protozoan infections, with the presence of strongyloids and hookworms.