TY  - JOUR
T1  - A Cross-sectional Study of <I>Blastocystis hominis </I>in Primary Schoolchildren, Northwest Iran
AU - , Daryani AU - , N. Barmaki AU - , G.H. Ettehad AU - , M. Sharif AU - , M.H. Dehghan AU - , A. Nemati AU - , H. Ziaei 
JO  - International Journal of Tropical Medicine
VL  - 1
IS  - 2
SP  - 53
EP  - 57
PY  - 2006
DA  - 2001/08/19
SN  - 1816-3319
DO  - ijtmed.2006.53.57
UR  - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=ijtmed.2006.53.57
KW  - Blastocystis hominis
KW  -schoolchildren
KW  -Iran
KW  -protozoam parasite
AB  - <I>Blastocystis hominis </I>is a protozoan parasite whose importance as a cause of gastrointestinal
pathology is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of <I>Blastocystis hominis
(B. homini</I>s) and the presence of symptoms among primary schoolchildren. This cross-sectional study was
conducted in 1070 schoolchildren between 7-13 years old in northwest Iran, 2003. A questionnaire was
completed for each child. Stool specimens were collected by stratified random sampling and were examined
using direct wet mount for presence of <I>B. hominis </I>and formalin-ether concentration method for helminthes
eggs and protozoan cysts. The most common parasite was <I>B. hominis </I>(&lt;5 cells per field) (28.2%) followed by
<I>Giardia lamblia (G. lambli</I>a) 14.2%. A total of 109/1070 (10.2%) showed $5 <I>B. hominis </I>per field. The most
common symptoms in children who showed only <I>B. hominis </I>were abdominal pain (49.4%), anorexia (35.8%) and nausea (33%). On the basis of our findings we recommend that <I>B. hominis </I>be considered as a potential
pathogen in symptomatic people, especially children when the number of organisms in a stool specimen
exceeds five organisms per field. Awareness on the part of clinicians and laboratory technicians is essential for
proper diagnosis and treatment of cases.
ER  -