Higher amebiasis risk in MSMIncreased risk for Entamoeba histolytica infection and invasive amebiasis in HIV seropositive men who have sex with men in Taiwan.
Moderate relevance due to treatment context
We investigated how HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) are affected by Entamoeba histolytica, the parasite responsible for invasive amebiasis (IA), which can lead to conditions like liver abscesses. During our study at the National Taiwan University Hospital, we looked at medical records of HIV-positive patients diagnosed with IA between 1994 and 2005.
From over a thousand HIV-infected individuals, we found that 64 patients, mostly MSM, experienced 67 total episodes of IA. Interestingly, the average CD4 count, a crucial indicator of immune system health, was significantly higher among patients with IA compared to the overall group of HIV patients. This suggests that despite being HIV-positive, many MSM can still mount an immune response against the infection.
Most patients responded well to treatment with metronidazole, with fever subsiding quickly. Importantly, our analysis revealed that MSM face a much higher risk of getting infected compared to other groups. This research underscores the need for targeted prevention strategies in this population to curb the spread of amoebic infections.
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