Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections Among HIV-Infected Patients: A Five-Year Retrospective Study

Background Intestinal parasitic infections remain a significant health concern for individuals living with HIV/AIDS, particularly in resource-limited settings such as Ethiopia. Due to compromised immune function, HIV-infected patients are highly susceptible to secondary infections, including parasitic diseases, which can exacerbate their health conditions. Understanding the prevalence and distribution of these infections is crucial for improving patient care and intervention strategies.

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasites among HIV-infected patients attending Hossana Health Center over the past five years. The study utilized a convenience sampling method, including data from all patients recorded in the facility’s logbook. The completeness of patient records was verified before data extraction. Chi-square tests were performed using R programming software to examine associations between demographic variables and parasitic infections. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant, and results were presented in frequency tables for clarity.

The analysis revealed an overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections at 31.93% among HIV-infected patients. The most frequently identified parasites included Ascaris lumbricoides (42.47%), Entamoeba histolytica (27.82%), and Giardia lamblia (9.20%). Other detected parasites included Trichuris trichiura (5.86%) and Taenia species (5.02%), which were the least prevalent. A statistically significant association was observed between age groups and parasitic infection rates (p < 0.001), suggesting that age-related factors—such as environmental exposure, behavioral patterns, and differences in immune function—may contribute to the likelihood of infection.

The findings highlight the persistent burden of intestinal parasitic infections among HIV-infected individuals and reinforce the importance of age-specific intervention strategies. Efforts should focus on improving sanitation, hygiene, and targeted health education programs to mitigate the impact of these infections in vulnerable populations. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Funding Statement This study did not receive any funding Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: Ethics committee/IRB of Wachemo University gave ethical approval for this work I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes Data Availability All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors Abbreviations - AIDS - Acquired Immuno-deficiency Syndrome - ART - Anti-Retroviral Treatment - CD4 - Cluster for Differentiation - CNS - Central Nervous System - HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus - IP - Intestinal Parasite - MOH - Ministry of Health - UNAIDS - United Nation Program on HIV/AIDS - HHC - Hossana Health Center