L. Nimri et R. Batchoun, INTESTINAL COLONIZATION OF SYMPTOMATIC AND ASYMPTOMATIC SCHOOLCHILDREN WITH BLASTOCYSTIS-HOMINIS, Journal of clinical microbiology, 32(11), 1994, pp. 2865-2866
A study of single stool specimens was done to determine the prevalence
of intestinal parasites among 1,000 primary school children. A questi
onnaire was completed by each child's parents. Specimens were examined
by using wet-mount preparation, formaline-ether concentration, and Sh
eather's flotation technique. Trichrome and acid-fast stains were done
. Blastocystis hominis was observed in 203 (20.3%) of the specimens ex
amined, and 175 specimens contained this organism in the absence of ot
her pathogenic parasites. Older children had fewer B. hominis infectio
ns (6 to 7 years old, 50% infection rate; 8 to 9 years, 27.5%; 10 to 1
2 years, 9.5%). The most common complaints reported by 75 children har
boring the parasite were a mild recurrent diarrhea, abdominal pain, na
usea, anorexia, and fatigue. Blastocystosis is quite common among scho
olchildren. Contaminated drinking water is suspected to be the source
of infection.