Prevalence and factors associated with soil-transmitted helminth infections among people living with hiv attending bugando medical centre, mwanza, Tanzania

Objective: Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections remain important neglected tropical infections, particularly in settings characterized by inadequate sanitation, unsafe water, and poor hygiene. People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may experience additional morbidity from intestinal parasitic infections. However, information on STH infections among people living with HIV in Tanzania remains limited. This study determined the prevalence and factors associated with STH infections among people living with HIV attending Bugando Medical Centre (BMC), Mwanza, Tanzania. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 people living with HIV attending the Care and Treatment Clinic at BMC between May and August 2025. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Sociodemographic, behavioural, and potential exposure information was collected using a structured questionnaire administered during an interview. Stool specimens were collected and examined using the formalin-ethyl acetate concentration technique for detection of STH eggs. Data were entered and cleaned in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using Stata version 15.0. Associations between categorical variables and STH infection were assessed using Pearson's chi-square test. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among 300 participants, 24 had STH infections, giving an overall prevalence of 8.0%. Ascaris lumbricoides was detected in 13 participants (4.3%), while hookworm was detected in 11 (3.7%). No Trichuris trichiura infection was detected. STH infection was significantly associated with consumption of boiled water (χ²=10.653, df=1, P=0.001). The prevalence of STH infection was 3.5% among participants who reported drinking boiled water compared with 13.8% among those who reported not drinking boiled water. No statistically significant associations were observed with age, residence, educational status, occupation, awareness of STH infection, shoe-wearing habit, toilet cleanliness, or year of HIV diagnosis. Conclusions: STH infections were detected in 8.0% of people living with HIV attending Bugando Medical Centre. A. lumbricoides and hookworm were the detected STH species. Consumption of boiled water was significantly associated with lower observed prevalence of STH infection. Strengthening safe-water practices, sanitation, hygiene education, and appropriate clinical consideration of intestinal helminth infections may contribute to reducing STH-related morbidity among people living with HIV.