Endoscopic procedure as a diagnostic tool for intestinal parasitic pathological changes

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) parasitic infections can lead to severe illness.
• Endoscopy is sometimes the sole method for diagnosing and managing these parasitic diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the role of endoscopy in identifying pathological changes in the GIT during parasitic infections.
• To evaluate endoscopic findings in patients with parasitic GIT manifestations.

Main Methods:

• 300 patients with GIT symptoms were enrolled.
• Stool samples were analyzed for parasitic stages.
• Parasite-infected patients underwent complete blood count (CBC) and narrow-band endoscopy.

Main Results:

• Parasitic stages were found in 33.3% of stool samples (100 patients).
• Endoscopy revealed pathological changes in the esophagus (6%), stomach (42%), duodenum (50%), rectum (25%), and colon (32%).
• Eosinophilia was noted in some patients, while CBCs were otherwise within normal ranges.

Conclusions:

• Endoscopic examination is a valuable diagnostic tool for detecting GIT pathological changes in chronic parasitic diseases.
• Endoscopy should be considered in the differential diagnosis of other GIT abnormalities identified during endoscopic procedures.