The purpose
of this study was to determine the frequency of emerging parasites in two
groups of immunosuppressed patients, including individuals infected with the
human immunodeficiency virus (AIDS) (HIV) or having acute lymphoblastic
leukemia (ALL) with or without diarrhea. Stool samples were collected from 96
HIV and 77 ALL patients from March 2010 through December 2011. Screening for
opportunistic parasites was carried out by the coproparasitoscopic Faust
method, Ziehl Neelsen staining, and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Results
showed that 22.9% of HIV fecal samples were positive for emerging parasites,
including Cryptosporidium spp.
(7.3%), Microsporidium spp. (5.2%), Isospora belli (1.0%), Giardia intestinalis (2.6%), and Cyclospora spp. (7.3%). On the other
hand, 32.5% of ALL fecal samples were positive for emerging parasites,
including Cryptosporidium spp.
(9.1%), Microsporidium spp. (19.5%), Isospora belli (1.3%), and Giardia intestinalis (2.6%). Our results
highlighted the need for specific, efficient, and reliable diagnostic methods
to identify the presence of emerging parasites in immunocompromised patients susceptible
to different infectious diseases or neoplastic processes and avoid the
consequences for the host as an increased disease rate, alterations in the
clinical manifestation of the infection or even exacerbation of its course.