ABSTRACT

Objective:

Results of 17.711 patien admitted to the Department of Parasitology in Celal Bayar University Hospital for parasitological stool examination between January 2006 and December 2010 were evaluated.

Methods:

All stool samples were examined with wet mounts, formalin ethyl acetate concentration and trichrome staining methods. In addition, cellophane tape preparations from 5952 patients were evaluated.

Results:

Intestinal parasites were detected in 2337 (13.12%) of 17.711 patients who were admitted during a five year period. The highest parasite infected individual ratio (16.69%) was found in 2008. The most frequently identified intestinal parasites were Blastocystis spp. 1353 (7.64%) and Giardia intestinalis 348 (1.96%) in stool samples, with Enterobius vermicularis 253 (4.25%) in cellophane tape preparations. Two or more parasites were detected in 158 (6.76%) of the positive cases. The mean age of persons identified as having a parasite was 21.9. Parasite incidence was 10.7% in females, and 13.6% in males (p<0.001). The highest ratio was 23.8% in patients who lived in rural areas when all positive cases were evaluated in terms of settlement areas.

Conclusion:

While Blastocystis spp., E. vermicularis and G. intestinalis were the most frequently detected intestinal parasites in our province, intestinal parasites still remain important despite advances in infrastructure in recent years.