BACKGROUND Blastocystis sp. are among the most commonly observed intestinal parasites in routine clinical parasitology. Blastocystis in humans consists of at least 9 genetic subtypes. Different subtypes of Blastocystis may be associated with differences in pathogenicity and symptomatology. METHODS Advanced microscopy on two samples and sequence-confirmed PCR on a third sample from the same in...

100 random fecal samples sent to the clinical laboratory of the Aga Khan University Hospital were used. Microscopy was done by direct wet mount in which approximately 2 mg of feces (the amount that usually adheres to one end of the wooden applicator stick) was thoroughly emulsified on a glass slide in one dropofphysiologic salineandcovered with acoverslip. A similar preparation was made on anot...

Blastocystis species has been extensively studied in recent few years to establish its pathogenecity. Present study was designed to identify and examine the association of Blastocystis sp. and its subtypes with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).Blastocystis sp. detected using wet-mount microscopy, trichrome staining, in-vitro culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay in a cohort of IBS pat...

OBJECTIVE To assess the association between Blastocystis infection and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in Thai patients, Phramongkutklao Hospital. MATERIAL AND METHOD A case-control study was conducted at Phramongkutklao Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand during 2007-2008. A total of 126 subjects were enrolled into the study. Sixty-six persons were enrolled in the IBS group and 60 persons were enroll...

TO THE EDITOR—In their recent paper, Coyle et al [1] recommend metronidazole as the drug of choice for Blastocystis eradication. We have come across multiple cases where high-dose metronidazole treatment does not eliminate Blastocystis from the intestine. In fact, it appears that no single drug is capable of eradicating Blastocystis [2]. Here, we present an example of an intractable Blastocysti...

Background Blastocystis is a common protozoon that inhabits human intestinal tract and has a worldwide distribution. This study aimed to determine subtype (ST) distribution of Blastocystis among school-aged children in a western city of Turkey between Mar and Jun 2014. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among primary school children in Mugla between Mar and Jun 2014. Overall, 46...

Alterations in the composition of commensal bacterial populations, a phenomenon known as dysbiosis, are linked to multiple gastrointestinal disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome, or to infections by diverse enteric pathogens. Blastocystis is one of the most common single-celled eukaryotes detected in human faecal samples. However, the clinical significance o...

Blastocystis spp. are the most prevalent eukaryotic microbes found in the intestinal tract of humans. Here we present an in-depth investigation of lateral gene transfer (LGT) in the genome of Blastocystis sp. subtype 1. Using rigorous phylogeny-based methods and strict validation criteria, we show that ∼2.5% of the genes of this organism were recently acquired by LGT. We identify LGTs both from...

The protozoan parasite, blastocystis hominis, has been studied by transmission electron microscopy in the stool samples of 320 patients. Various ultrastructural characteristics are noted and the incidence of this parasite infestation studied. The vacuolar form is the most common form. There is a strong correlation between the disease condition and the presence of blastocystis hominis (p<00001)....

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide and the number is increasing every year. Despite advances in screening programs, CRC remains as the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Oxidative stress plays an important role in the molecular mechanisms of colorectal cancer (CRC) and has been shown to be associated with Blastocystis sp., a com...