INTESTINAL COLONIZATION OF SYMPTOMATIC AND ASYMPTOMATIC SCHOOLCHILDREN WITH BLASTOCYSTIS-HOMINIS

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.