Prevalencia de Blastocystis hominis en Pacientes sintomáticos.

Blastocystis hominis is a protozoan potential cause of gastrointestinal diseases. This work is to determine the prevalence of Blastocystis hominis in symptomatic patients and relate it with the presence of other intestinal parasites. There were examined 783 fecal samples from persons of the Santa Juana community, Municipio Libertador, Merida, Venezuela, who attended a private laboratory in the area, referred by a rural physician because they either had gastrointestinal symptoms or need a routine coproparasitescopic test. The samples were directly examined in fresh, progressively stained by lugol and Faust methods. The results showed that the age of the patients was between 1 and 60 years. 40.8% children, 59.11% adults; 51.50% males, 48.40% females; 32.18% symptomatic, 67.18% asymptomatic; 35% parasited, of which 49.5% with B. hominis, 42.85% females, 57.14% males, 15.23% children, 84.76% adults, 93.33% symptomatic, 6.66% asymptomatic. The higher incidence age was between 19 and 30 years. The higher value (17.15%) of other parasites was observed in children. B. hominis was the agent with higher prevalence in symptomatic patients. The severe symptoms (abdominal pain, recurrent diarrhea, abdominal crumbs, anorexia, nausea and vomits) were associated to different types of parasites in tile samples.