Cryptosporidium parvum Co-infection in Respect to CD4+ T-Lymphocyte Count of HIV/AIDS Patients Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy at Umaru Shehu Ultra-Modern Hospital Maiduguri, Nigeria

Cryptosporidium parvum is a leading cause of diarrhoea among immunocompromised individuals, especially those living with HIV/AIDS. This study determined the Co-infection of Cryptosporidium parvum in respect to their CD4+ T-Lymphocyte count of HIV/AIDS Patients Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy at Umaru Shehu Ultra-Modern Hospital Maiduguri, Nigeria. The study also considered the correlation between CD4+ T-Lymphocyte Counts and Cryptosporidiosis among co-infected patients. A total of one hundred and twelve (112) patients were recruited for this study, from which stool and blood samples were collected. Modified Ziehl-Nelsen staining technique was used to stain the fixed smeared stool after processing via formal-ether concentration method. CD4+ T-lymphocyte count was determined by Partec flow cytometry machine. Twenty-seven (27) out of one hundred and twelve (112) patients screened tested positive for Cryptosporidium parvum, yielding an infection rate of 24.1%. The prevalence was found to be higher among patients between the ages of 20-39years and least among those >60years old (7.4%). Female patients were most affected (70.1%) than males (29.9%). subject within the occupational group of Housewives revealed the highest frequency of 44.4%. Results have also revealed that, 75.0% of the HIV patients and 70.4% of patients with cryptosporidiosis had a CD4+ count of below 500 cells/µl, while 48.1% and 26.0% of C. parvum positive patients had a CD4+ count of ≤300 cells/µl and ≤100 cells/µl respectively. Cryptosporidium parvum is an opportunistic pathogen among HIV/AIDS patients; as such the importance of routine stool examination for Cryptosporidium oocysts is hereby stressed.