Human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV) infection has altered both the epidemiology and outcome of enteric opportunistic parasitic infections. This study was done to determine the prevalence and species/genotypes of intestinal coccidian and microsporidial infections among HIV/AIDS patients with diarrhea and/or a history of diarrhea alternately with an asymptomatic interval, and their association with CD4 T cell count. This cross-sectional study was done from May 2010 to May 2011 in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, South of Iran. A blood sample was obtained from HIV-positive patients for a CD4 T cell count upon enrollment. Sociodemographic data and a history of diarrhea were collected by interviewing 356 consecutive participants (273 males and 83 females). Whenever possible more than a fecal sample was collected from all the participants and examined for parasites using direct, physiological saline solution ethyl acetate, an acid-fast trichrome stain, nested polymerase chain reaction, and sequencing techniques for the detection, confirmation, and genotyping of Cryptosporidium spp ., Cyclospora cayetanensis, Isospora belli, and intestinal microsporidia ( Enterocytozoon bieneusi ). The most common opportunistic and nonopportunistic pathogens were Cryptosporidium spp. ( C. parvum and C. andersoni ), E . bieneusi , Giardia lamblia , Sarcocystis spp., and Blastocystis homonis affecting 34, 8, 23, 1, and 14 patients, respectively. C. cayetanensis, I. belli , Enterobius vermicularis, and Hymenolepis nana were observed in few patients. A CD4 count <200 cells/μl was significantly associated with the presence of opportunistic parasites and diarrhea ( p <0.05). Opportunistic intestinal parasites should be suspected in any HIV/AIDS patient with chronic diarrhea. Tropical epidemic nonopportunistic enteric parasitic infections among such patients should not be neglected in Iran.

Cases of human oro-mucosal leishmaniasis are mainly reported in areas where Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis perpetuates and the damages are mainly located at the cartilaginous nasal septum and frontal portions of the nasal fossa. In Iran, an area free of any L.(V) braziliensis, three Leishmania species are known to perpetuate through distinct (i) blood-feeding sand flies and (ii) rodents or (iii) canidae. Thus while establishing the diagnosis of any human oro-mucosal lesions, three Leishmania species - L. infantum, L. major, and L. tropica - must be considered as potential etiological agents of these damages. With these objectives in mind, features such as localization, extent, severity of oro-mucosal lesions, and duration of symptoms at the time of diagnosis were recorded from 11 patients with respect to the presence or absence of cutaneous lesions in other body parts. The biopsy samples were collected from the oro-mucosal and cutaneous lesions and were processed for further identification of the Leishmania species. The lesions ranged from mucosal nodules without ulceration, nodules with erosion, and shallow to deep ulcerations. Leishmania major was isolated from six (55%) cases showing lesions or scars. The scars were restricted to upper and lower extremities. For the other five patients who did not display any signs of former or active cutaneous leishmaniasis, L. major, L. tropica, and L. infantum were isolated from their lesions. In conclusion L. major, L. infantum, and L. tropica, regardless of common tropism, can be seen in mucosal tissues. However, L. major was the predominant species detected from the lesions in the nasal, gingival, and hard and soft palates, and L. tropica was isolated from the gingival and lower lip lesions. Leishmania infantum was isolated from two severe cases of deep mucosal damage displayed by the epiglottis, cricoarytenoid muscle, and laryngeal mucosa. One important finding was the association of L. major with active or scarred skin lesions.

Context. —Localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) typically presents as papules, crusted nodules, plaques, or noduloulcerative lesions. Atypical CL does not show these features or mimic malignant lesion. In atypical forms, CL may be overlooked because of its similarity to other dermal diseases. Objective. —To compare conventional, molecular, and immunohistochemical methods in the diagnosis of typical and atypical CL. Design. —The kinetoplast DNA, nested, polymerase chain reaction assay and immunohistochemical methods were compared and validated against conventional methods, including cytology and pathology, using 100 specimens of typical and atypical lesions of suspected CL. Results. —Compared with other methods, polymerase chain reaction of the kinetoplast DNA showed the highest sensitivity (typical positive, 100%, 67 of 67; atypical positive, 94%, 31 of 33) and specificity (100%), followed by immunohistochemistry (typical positive, 97%, 65 of 67, with 100% specificity; atypical positives, 94%, 31 of 33, with 100% specificity), and cytology (typical positive, 79%, 53 of 67, with 100% specificity; atypical positive, 58%, 19 of 33, with 100% specificity), followed by pathology (typical positive, 70%, 47 of 67, with 100% specificity; atypical positive, 42%, 14 of 33, with 100% specificity). In addition, polymerase chain reaction enabled identification of 98% (98 of 100) of the positive samples that included strains of Leishmania major (99% [99 of 100] cases) and Leishmania tropica (1% [1 of 100] cases). Conclusions. —Because cytology is cheap and easy to perform with high sensitivity, it is the preferred, primary approach for typical CL, but cytology and pathology do not have sufficient sensitivity for diagnosis of atypical CL cases. Nested polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry are sensitive tests for diagnosis of both typical and atypical CL and are recommended as complementary tests in suspected CL with negative conventional microscopy results.