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A study on Blastocystis hominis in food-handlers: diagnosis and potential pathogenicity

Fouad M Fathy1

  • 1Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.

Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology
|October 11, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Routine laboratory diagnosis of Blastocystis hominis is lacking in developing nations. This study highlights its high prevalence in food handlers and links it to gastrointestinal symptoms, advocating for culture-based detection.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Parasitology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Blastocystis hominis is a common intestinal protozoon with unsettled clinical significance due to diagnostic challenges in developing countries.
  • Food handlers represent a high-risk group for acquiring and transmitting Blastocystis hominis through feco-oral routes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the sensitivity of direct diagnostic methods for Blastocystis hominis detection in stool samples.
  • To estimate the prevalence of Blastocystis hominis among food handlers in Sirte, Libya.
  • To clarify the association between Blastocystis hominis infection, gastrointestinal symptoms, and treatment response.

Main Methods:

  • A total of 400 male food handlers underwent clinical questionnaires and three stool examinations using different diagnostic techniques.
  • Diagnostic methods included short-term in vitro culture, permanent Trichrome-stained smears, saline-sedimentation concentrated smears, and direct iodine smears.

Main Results:

  • A high prevalence of Blastocystis hominis (35.5%) was observed among food handlers.
  • Short-term in vitro culture demonstrated the highest sensitivity (35.5%) for detecting Blastocystis hominis.
  • Of infected individuals, 68.5% were symptomatic, with diarrhea, abdominal pain, and flatulence being the most common complaints. Metronidazole treatment resolved symptoms and eradicated the parasite.

Conclusions:

  • Culture-based methods should be routinely employed for accurate Blastocystis hominis diagnosis.
  • Blastocystis hominis should be considered pathogenic, especially in symptomatic individuals with high parasite loads.

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