Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date. I am a 31 year old male diagnosed 3 years ago. I have been in good health despite lower T-cells than I would have liked. No reactions to any medications...Zerit, Epivir, Kaletra. However, in the last three days I cannot seem to stop severe diarrhea and loss of appetite. I have heard about "crypto" and am worried I have contracted it. Please help...what could this be?
Mark H. Katz, M.D.
Regional HIV/AIDS Physician Coordinator
Kaiser Permanente of Southern California
It is very unusual to have cryptosporidium unless your T-cell count is very low, under 50, and certainly under 100. The way to diagnose it is by having the stool cultured, sometimes done with the help of a colonoscopy, in which a direct biopsy is taken as well. However, there are more common, and easier-to-treat, causes of watery diarrhea. If you have been on any antibiotic recently, you should be checked for a bacteria called Clostridium difficile. If you have engaged in any oral-anal contact (rimming), you may have acquired a parasite (Giardia, ameba, etc.). (Sometimes one can get such parasites from doing activities such as swimming in lakes). In any case, it is worth having this checked out by your doctor-diarrhea is generally very treatable in the setting of HIV!
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