REVIEW PAPER
Opportunistic intestinal parasitic infections in patients with HIV/AIDS in Iran: a systematic review
1
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Paramedicine, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
2
Department of Microbiology and Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
3
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Submission date: 2023-02-12
Final revision date: 2023-07-16
Acceptance date: 2023-07-16
Online publication date: 2026-01-30
Corresponding author
Iman Pouladi
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Iran
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Iran
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
At present, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is one of the biggest and most mortal infectious diseases worldwide in distribution, while human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases increase each year. Opportunistic infections are among the major health problems affecting HIV/AIDS patients worldwide, usually following an increase in immunosuppression, which occurs mainly in late stages of disease. Immunosuppression is also known to expose HIV-positive patients to a wide range of parasitic and microbial infections. Intestinal parasitic infections cause severe problems in patients infected with HIV. There have been reports of intestinal parasitic infections in HIV/AIDS patients from different regions of Iran, and the most common species are Giardia lamblia, Blastocystis hominis, and Cryptosporidium. The impact of intestinal parasite infections on immunocompromised patients has been studied extensively worldwide, but few comparable studies have been conducted in Iran. Iran's HIV/AIDS situation is suspected to be more serious than previously thought, with the main concern being the spread of the disease from injecting drug addicts to the young population through risky sexual behaviors. In Iran, intestinal parasite infections remain a major health concern, with the World Health Organization estimating that 3.5 billion people are affected by intestinal parasitic infections worldwide.
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