TY - JOUR
T1 - Irritable bowel syndrome
T2 - In search of an etiology: Role of Blastocystis hominis
AU - Yakoob, Javed
AU - Jafri, Wasim
AU - Jafri, Nadim
AU - Khan, Rustam
AU - Islam, Muhammad
AU - Beg, M. Asim
AU - Zaman, Viqar
PY - 2004/4
Y1 - 2004/4
N2 - This study was designed to examine stool specimens of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients for Blastocystis hominis, a common intestinal parasite. One hundred fifty patients were enrolled, 95 IBS cases and 55 controls. These patients provided a medical history, and underwent physical and laboratory evaluations that included stool microscopy and culture for B. hominis and colonoscopy. The 95 cases (51 males and 44 females) had a mean ± SD age of 37.8 ± 13.2 years. Stool microscopy was positive for B. hominis in 32% (30 of 95) of the cases and 7% (4 of 55) of the controls (P = 0.001). Stool culture was positive in 46% (44 of 95) of the cases and 7% (4 of 55) of the controls (P < 0.001). Stool culture for B. hominis in IBS was more sensitive than microscopy (P < 0.001). Blastocystis hominis was frequently demonstrated in the stool samples of IBS patients; however, its significance in IBS still needs to be investigated. Stool culture has a higher positive yield for B. hominis than stool microscopy.
AB - This study was designed to examine stool specimens of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients for Blastocystis hominis, a common intestinal parasite. One hundred fifty patients were enrolled, 95 IBS cases and 55 controls. These patients provided a medical history, and underwent physical and laboratory evaluations that included stool microscopy and culture for B. hominis and colonoscopy. The 95 cases (51 males and 44 females) had a mean ± SD age of 37.8 ± 13.2 years. Stool microscopy was positive for B. hominis in 32% (30 of 95) of the cases and 7% (4 of 55) of the controls (P = 0.001). Stool culture was positive in 46% (44 of 95) of the cases and 7% (4 of 55) of the controls (P < 0.001). Stool culture for B. hominis in IBS was more sensitive than microscopy (P < 0.001). Blastocystis hominis was frequently demonstrated in the stool samples of IBS patients; however, its significance in IBS still needs to be investigated. Stool culture has a higher positive yield for B. hominis than stool microscopy.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=1942533051&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4269/ajtmh.2004.70.383
DO - 10.4269/ajtmh.2004.70.383
M3 - Article
C2 - 15100450
AN - SCOPUS:1942533051
SN - 0002-9637
VL - 70
SP - 383
EP - 385
JO - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
JF - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
IS - 4
ER -
