Abstract: (15568 Views)
Introduction: Blastocystis hominis protozo is one of the most common intestinal parasites. Several results have been performed on its pathogenicity, some of which proved the parasite to be pathogenic specially in the immunocompromised patients while others emphasized on it’s non pathogenicity.
Objective: The goal of this study was to determine the pathogenicity of this parasite.
Methods: 58 patients with intestinal symptoms who referred to the parasitological research lab were diagnosed to be merely infected with Blastocystis hominis protozoa using direct, formalin-ether and Staning methods to find parasite and EMB and SSagar methods to identify bacteria. Then the patients were randomly divided into two groups, 29 as case group treated with metronidazole and 29 as control group with no treatment but under observation.
Results: After the treatment Period no parasite was found in 65.5% of the control group and 27.6% of the case group. Symptoms relief was observed in 82.8% of the control group and 34.5% of the patients in the case group after the treatment period.
Conclusion: According to the significant difference between the two groups (p<0.05) in symptom relief and parasite eradication, blastocystosis was considered pathogenic. Further studies are required to identify the regional isolate of Blastocystis hominis and to determine the effective and appropriate drug to eradicate them.
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Special Received: 2014/09/27 | Accepted: 2014/09/27 | Published: 2014/09/27