Prevalence of intestinal protozoans in French patients infected with HIV.

To assess the prevalence of intestinal protozoans in French HIV-infected patients, stool samples, duodenojejunal biopsies, and/or colorectal biopsies from 81 patients were studied for parasites, viruses, and bacteria. Pathogens were found in 70.6% of AIDS patients with diarrhea or malabsorption. The respective prevalence of protozoa in AIDS patients with diarrhea was Cryptosporidium sp.: 37.3%, Blastocystis hominis: 13.7%, Giardia intestinalis: 5.8%, Isospora belli: 2%, Enterocytozoon bieneusi: 2%. Microsporidia were noted in one patient with severe malabsorption but no diarrhea. Other pathogens included cytomegalovirus in 27.4% and Mycobacterium avium in 5.8%. Patients with identified pathogens were more immunosuppressed and more severely malnourished than those with unexplained diarrhea. Multiple pathogens were found in 13 of 81 patients (16%). Twenty-six of 66 identified pathogens (40%) were diagnosed only on biopsy specimens. Chronic diarrhea in HIV patients could be explained in the vast majority by appropriate gastrointestinal investigations. Cryptosporidia played a major role, while microsporidia appeared to be less common.