The Interaction between HIV and Intestinal Helminth Parasites Coinfection with Nutrition among Adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Biomed Res Int. 2017:2017:9059523. doi: 10.1155/2017/9059523. Epub 2017 Mar 22.

Abstract

In South Africa few studies have examined the effects of the overlap of HIV and helminth infections on nutritional status. This cross-sectional study investigated the interaction between HIV and intestinal helminths coinfection with nutritional status among KwaZulu-Natal adults. Participants were recruited from a comprehensive primary health care clinic and stratified based on their HIV, stool parasitology, IgE, and IgG4 results into four groups: the uninfected, HIV infected, helminth infected, and HIV-helminth coinfected groups. The nutritional status was assessed using body mass index, 24-hour food recall, micro-, and macronutrient biochemical markers. Univariate and multivariate multinomial probit regression models were used to assess nutritional factors associated with singly and dually infected groups using the uninfected group as a reference category. Biochemically, the HIV-helminth coinfected group was associated with a significantly higher total protein, higher percentage of transferrin saturation, and significantly lower ferritin. There was no significant association between single or dual infections with HIV and helminths with micro- and macronutrient deficiency; however general obesity and low micronutrient intake patterns, which may indicate a general predisposition to micronutrient and protein-energy deficiency, were observed and may need further investigations.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Coinfection* / blood
  • Coinfection* / epidemiology
  • Female
  • HIV Infections* / blood
  • HIV Infections* / epidemiology
  • Helminthiasis* / blood
  • Helminthiasis* / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Models, Biological*
  • Nutritional Status*
  • South Africa / epidemiology