High prevalence of enterocytozoon bieneusi infections among hiv-positive individuals with persistent diarrhoea in Harare, Zimbabwe

Infection with the microsporidian parasite Enterocytowon bianeusi may be a major cause of prolonged diarrhoea in individuals also infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The parasite has been reported from Europe, Australia and the Americas, with a prevalence of 7-29%. Faecal specimens were obtained from 202 adults and 106 children in Harare, Zimbabwe, all of whom were in hospital and had diarrhoea. HIV serology was available for 119 adults: 106 were HIV seropositive. There were clinical grounds for suspecting HIV infection in 23 of the remaining patients, E. bieneuti was identified in specimens from 131129 (20/) P atients (IO%) for whom HIV infection was indicated by serology and/or clinical signs, 1160 patients o o uncertain HIV status, and O/13 seronegative patients. 1X/106 children were HIV seropositive and 12 were not; HIV serology was not available for the remainder, but 19 were strongly suspected of being infected with HIV on clinical criteria. E. bieneerswi as not detected in samplesf rom any child. As is commn in Zimbabwe, the prevalence of other parasites in faecal specimens was low and, amongst patients with proven or suspected HIV infection, E. bieneusi. © 1995 Oxford University Press.