Clinical significance and frequency of Blastocystis hominis infection in primary school children in Ardabil, Iran (2003)

Abstract number: 1733_26

Daryani A., Ettehad G.H., Barmaki N., Sharif M., Abedi A., Ziaei H., Alimohammadi H.

Objective: There is a dramatic increase in the frequency of Blastocystis hominis infection in association with diarrhoea and distinct clinical symptoms, especially in AIDS patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of this parasite, and relate personal data and the presence of signs with the frequency of B. hominis among primary school children.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 1070 school children between 7–13 years old in Ardabil, Iran, 2003. A questionnaire was completed for each child. Stool specimens were collected by stratified random sampling and were examined for presence of B. hominis using direct wet mount and formalin-ether concentration methods.

Results: The positive rate of B. hominis was 28.2% (302/1070). A total of 109 cases (10.2%) showed more than five parasites per field at a magnification of 400x. The most common symptoms in children who showed only B. hominis were abdominal pain (49.4%), inappetance (35.8%), and nausea (33%).

Conclusion: As B. hominis is quite common among school children, contaminated drinking water is suspected to be the source of infection.