Prevalence of intestinal parasitism in an urban public hospital of Madrid

Abstract number: 1733_21

Monclús D., Pérez de Ayala A., Azcona J.M., Del Rey M.C., López-Brea M.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitism in adults in a 550 beds hospital of Madrid, in a period of four years.

Material and Methods: During the years 2002–2005 a total of 13.765 stool samples from patients of the hospital and area health centres were analysed. The average age was 44.8 years. Microscopic and macroscopic tests were made using methods such as: fresh test with physiological saline solution and lugol's solution, concentration techniques with formaldehyde-eter (Ritchie's test), trichrome stain, Ziehl–Neelsen stain, and Graham test for detection of oxyuros.

Results: The prevalence of the pathogens and commensal parasites was 23.51%. Of the 13,765 samples, 3,237 were positives (23.51%.), and in 686 (21% of the positives samples) we found more than one parasite, with a total of 3,847 parasites. Blastocystis hominis was the main entero-parasitic pathogen found (54.6%), followed by Endolimax nana (16.2%), and Giardia intestinalis (9.5%). The Table 1 shows the parasites detected.

Conclusions: We have found low helminth prevalence compared with protozoa probably due the geographic area and the population group. Most of parasites were commensal or potentially pathogenic. The prevalence of intestinal parasites in our hospital is similar to other areas with similar characteristics.

Table 1. Parasites detected in faeces