The prevalence of intestinal parasitosis according to gender in a university hospital in southern Brazil

Introduction: Intestinal parasitoses lead to high morbidity and mortality rates, mainly in endemic areas; however, little is known about their prevalence in the Southern region of Brazil. The aim of the current study is to report the prevalence of intestinal parasitosis and to assess such prevalence according to gender. Methods: Analytical, transversal and retrospective design including parasitological stool tests performed in a university hospital. Results: We included 3,126 parasitological stool test results in the study ­ 44% of them were from men and 10.1% of the total were positive. Commensal protozoa were the most frequent parasites (7.7%) and Endolimax nana was the most prevalent protozoan (3.7%). Giardia lamblia was the most frequent pathogenic parasite (1.3%), and it was followed by Strongyloides stercoralis (0.7%). Men presented higher positive result rates (13.0% vs. 7.8%; p<0.001) for commensal (7.2% vs. 5.1%; p=0.016) and pathogenic parasites (4.5% vs. 1.8%; p<0.001); as well as for protozoa (10.7% vs. 6.4%; p<0.001) and for nematodes (1.4% vs. 0.6%; p=0.036). Similarly, men presented a higher positive result ratio for E. nana (5.2% vs. 2.6%; p<0.001), Entamoeba coli (3.5% vs. 1.6%; p<0.001), G. lamblia (2.2% vs. 0.6%; p<0.001) and S. stercoralis (1.1% vs. 0.3%; p=0.013) than women. Conclusion: parasites were found in 10% of the examined samples and commensal parasites were the most prevalent. Men showed higher enteroparasitosis rates than women.

Effect of N-acetyl-L-cysteine on lymphocyte apoptosis, lymphocyte viability, TNF-alpha and IL-8 in HIV-infected patients undergoing anti-retroviral treatment

N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) has been proposed as an additional therapeutic agent for AIDS patients because it reduces human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication in stimulated CD4+ lymphocytes, and it ameliorates immunological reactivity. In a randomized, 180-day, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial performed with HIV-infected patients classified as A2 and A3 according to the criteria of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, we investigated the effects of oral administration of NAC on HIV-infected patients undergoing their first anti-retroviral therapy; viral load, CD4+ lymphocyte, lymphocyte viability and apoptosis, and TNF-alpha and IL-8 levels were determined. Sixteen patients who received anti-retroviral therapy plus a placebo formed the control group and the study group consisted of 14 patients who received anti-retroviral therapy and NAC supplementation. A significant decrease was seen in viral load, TNF-alpha and IL-8 levels, and lymphocyte apoptosis, and a significant increase was found in levels of CD4+ lymphocytes and lymphocyte viability in both groups after anti-retroviral treatment, but no measurable benefits of anti-retroviral therapy plus NAC oral supplementation (600 mg/day) were found in relation to anti-retroviral therapy alone, and the baseline levels of cysteine and glutathione in plasma were not recovered by this treatment. In conclusion, the daily doses of NAC necessary for the total recuperation of plasma cysteine and glutathione levels in HIV-infected patients and the additional benefits following the supplementation of NAC in patients submitted to anti-retroviral therapy, need to be studied further.