Prevalence and Intensity of Schistosoma mansoni Infection and Its Associated Risk Factors Among Patients with and without HIV at Chuahit Health Center, Dembia District, Northwest Ethiopia

• Main Authors: Kahisay M, Birhanie M, Derso A
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2021
• Subjects: schistosoma mansoni; prevalence; intensity; viral load; ethiopia; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/2caf205ef506485a82dc5c6d94f31170

Mulubrhan Kahisay,1 Meseret Birhanie,2 Adane Derso2 1University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Gondar, Ethiopia; 2Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Adane DersoUniversity of Gondar, College of Medicine and Health Science, Gondar, 196, EthiopiaTel + 251-930716000Email [e-mail]: Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1/AIDS and Schistosoma mansoni are widely spread in sub-Saharan Africa including Ethiopia and the co-infection is also prevalent, occurs commonly. Schistosoma mansoni infection has been suggested to be a risk factor for HIV transmission and progression. This study aims to assess the prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma mansoni infection and associated risk factors among individuals with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at Chuahit Health Center, West Dembia, Northwest Ethiopia.Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April 2019. Two hundred sixty-six study subjects were included in the study by using a systemic and convenient sampling technique. Pretested structured questionnaire was employed to collect data. Single stool samples were collected and examined for S. mansoni eggs. Finger prick and venous blood samples were collected for HIV-1 screening and viral load count. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Independent t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare the mean of egg counts with HIV status and viral load counts, respectively. A P-value of less than 0.05 was taken as statistically significant.Results: The overall prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni infection was 41 (15.4%) and 162.24 egg per gram of faeces (EPG), respectively. Prevalence of S. mansoni was higher in seronegative study participants though the difference is statistically insignificant. Higher intensity of infection was observed among seropositive study participants with high viral load counts (> ...