Intestinal parasites in native and foreign citizens of Athens during a two-year period

Abstract number: 1135_219

Skandami V., Kotsi C., Achilleos C., Kontou-Castellanou C.

Objectives:  

To determine the incidence of intestinal parasites in citizens of Athens and analyze the difference between the natives and immigrants coming from developing countries.

Methods:  

During a 2-year period (2003–2004), 1680 feacal samples (1399 from natives and 281 from foreigners) were examined in our hospital laboratory for the presence of parasitic pathogens. Of them, 592 were treated in the hospital and 1088 were outpatients. The 86.9% of outpatients were workers who were examined in order to obtain a health clearance certificate. All specimens were examined in direct microscopy using wet-mount and formalin-ether concentration methods.

Results:  

Of the 1680 specimens examined, 24 (1.4%) were found positive for pathogen intestinal parasites: Giardia lamblia 15, Enterobious vermicularis 5, Heterophyes heterophyes 1, Ancylostoma duodenale 1, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar 2. In 15 specimens (0.9%) Blastocystis hominis were detected and in 2 non pathogenic Amoebae (Entamoeba coli and Iodamoeba butschlii). The incidence of pathogen parasites was 0.7% for the Greeks and 5.0% for the foreign population.

Conclusion:  

The frequency of intestinal parasitic infection in Greece, is relatively low but not rare, especially during the recent years because many immigrants coming from developing countries have introduced new parasites. The alertness of public health services is critical in order to prevent parasite spreading from the carriers to the healthy population.