Original article A Study of Gastrointestinal Manifestations in HIV/AIDS Patients B. N. Paudel*, A. Khanal**, P. Paudel***, S. Sharma****, G. B. Singh***** Abstract This study was conducted at the ART clinic of Seti Zonal Hospital Dhangadi. This ART center is the center for clinical based targeted intervention program for the control of STI/ AIDS and management of opportunistic infections. The objective of the study was to record the prevalence of common GI manifestations according to the age group and CD4 count. Common GI manifestations were diarrhea in 534 cases, pain abdomen with loss of appetite 503 cases, oral thrush 81 cases & esophageal candidacies 51 cases. Key Words Diarrhea, esophageal candidacies, oral thrush, opportunistic infection. Introduction GI manifestations are the common manifestations among HIV infected patients. 1,2 According to recommended WHO clinical staging; oral thrush (oropharyngeal ulceration, candidacies) are found in second stage; oral candidacies, chronic diarrhea (diarrhea more than one month), oral hairy leukoplakia in third stage and esophageal candidacies, chronic diarrhea with cryptosporidiosis and isosporiosis, HIV wasting syndrome (>10% of weight loss with either > 30 days of diarrhea or > 30 days of unexplained fever and weakness) in fourth stage. 3,4 In span of less than three decades, HIV/AIDS has emerged as the single most challenge to public health, human rights and development of this new millennium. 5 By the end of 2007, it was established that 33.2 million people (30.6 -- 36.1 million) across the world were living with HIV and 70,000 of these people were living in Nepal. 6, 7 Nepal is experiencing transition in HIV epidemic 8 . Various predisposing factors are prevalent for the rapid spread of HIV in Nepal. Migration is one of the many social factors that have contributed to the AIDS epidemic 9,10,11,12,13 . According to data by an international organization, migrants who crossed national borders increased from 101 million in 1985 to 175 million in 2000, while a similar number of people may exist as internal migrants within national borders 5,6 . HIV virus is retro virus which uses its RNA and host’s DNA to make viral DNA. 1,2 It has a long incubation period. 1,2 It causes severe damage to and eventually destroys the immune system by utilizing the DNA of CD4 lymphocytes to replicate itself. In the process, the virus destroys the CD4 lymphocytes. After several years, the person’s immune system will be very weak, he/she is vulnerable to diseases that he/she could normally fight off. These diseases (diarrhea, oral thrush, oral candidacies, _______________________________________________________ * Physician, Seti Zonal Hospital, Dhangadhi, Focal person ART clinic Dhangadhi **General Physician, NAMS, Bir Hospital ***Registrar, Paropakar Hospital,Thapathali **** Assosciate Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, TUTH ***** Medical Sperientendent and Gynaecologist, Seti Zonal Hospital, Dhangadhi