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Isolated Balantidium coli in a 1.5-Year-Old Boy: A Case Report
Mohammad Hossein Feiz-Haddad1,2, Amir Radfar2, Soleiman Khorami3
1Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Insights
This study reports the first case of infant balantidiasis in Iran, caused by Balantidium coli. The findings suggest domestic or wild animals, not just pigs, may be reservoir hosts for this parasitic infection in infants.
Area of Science:
- Medical Parasitology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Balantidium coli (B. coli) is a protozoan parasite that infects humans, typically causing asymptomatic infections but sometimes severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Infant balantidiasis is rare, with limited data on clinical presentation and treatment, especially in regions where pig farming is uncommon.
Purpose:
Balantidium coli, is a protozoa that can infect humans. Balantidium coli infection is mostly asymptomatic, but can cause of diarrhea, abdominal pain and sometimes perforated colon. There are only few previous reports regarding the infant balantidiasis and there is a little information about its clinical signs and treatment. In Islamic countries pig farming and consumption is prohibited and reservoir host is unknown.
Methods:
1.5 years old boy showed sever anorexia and diarrhea. The affected infant was depressed. The evaluation of fecal examination revealed a large number of B. coli trophozoites and cysts leaded us to an uncommon presentation of B. coli in the infant.
Results:
A few reports of human balantidiasis from Iran seems quite extraordinary. Wild boars have been proposed the responsible for transmission of human infection in Iran.
Conclusion:
However, this report as the first report of infant balantidiasis in Iran supports the role of other sources and domestic or wild animals as reservoir hosts for B. coli in Iran.
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