PREVALENCE OF INTESTINAL PARASITES BLASTOCYSTIS HOMINIS AND GIARDIA LAMBLIA AMONG DIARRHEAL PATIENTS AT WASIT PROVINCE , IRAQ

Abstract

Giardia lamblia and Blastocystis hominis are two common zoonotic intestinal parasites responsible 
for the majority of diarrheic cases, especially in children. The study was planned to determine the 
prevalence of both Giardia and Blastocystis co-infection in diarrheal patients and risk factors
associated with these parasites at Wasit province, Iraq. Stool samples collected from 135 patients
divided into four groups G. lamblia group, Blastocystis hominis group, mixed infection group, and 
healthy control group , within a period of October 2022 to October 2023, were examined using 
direct wet mount for detecting Blastocystis hominis and Giardia lamblia . By microscopic 
examination the results of the 135 ; 60 were positive of Blastocystis hominis ; 20 of G. lamblia and 
30 of mixed infection. Two risk factors were significantly associated with higher risk of Giardia
lamblia , Blastocystis hominis and co-infection including age category (6-17) years old and family 
size (> 5 members) by univariate analysis (P = 0.001, 0.001 respectively). Abdominal pain was the 
only gastrointestinal manifestation associated with the co-infection using the univariate analysis (P 
= 0.001).