Calicivirus and Giardia lamblia are Associated with Diarrhea in HIV-Seropositive Patients from Southeast Brazil.

• Grant number: 09/07979-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants - Publications - Scientific article
• Start date: July 01, 2009
• End date: December 31, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Andrea Regina de Souza Baptista
• Grantee: Andrea Regina de Souza Baptista
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Abstract. One hundred fecal samples were collected from a Brazilian HIV-seropositive population, with or without diarrhea, to investigate enteropathogens. Severe immunosuppression and the presence of at least one enteropathogen were associated to diarrhea (P<0.05). The enteropathogenic escherichia coli (EPEC) Poly(A) was significantly associated with diarrhea (P=0.023), as were calicivirus (P=0.023) and Giardia lamblia (P=0.009). No sample was positive for rotavirus and only one asymptomatic individual carried the astrovirus. We conclude that there is a great diversity of pathogens and opportunistic infections in the studied population, with a high prevalence of mixed colonization/infection. Our findings pave the way for future molecular investigations related to the expression of virulence factors as well as to the possibility of pathogen-pathogen interactions, especially between G. lamblia and calicivirus. These findings are relevant to the improvement of therapies and controlling diarrhea in the HIV-seropositive population. (AU)