Investigation of fecal occult blood as a marker of intestinal morbidity in blastocystosis | ||||
| Parasitologists United Journal | ||||
| Article 4, Volume 17, Issue 3, December 2024, Page 175-182 PDF (454.02 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/puj.2024.312608.1264 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
Shimaa Abdel Aal* 1; Fatma Eissa1; Asmaa Ibrahim2; Iman Abdel-Shafi 3
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| 1Departments of Medical Parasitology , Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University , Egypt | ||||
| 2Departments of Medical Parasitology1, and Molecular biology2, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University1, and Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, University of Sadat City2, Egypt | ||||
| 3Departments of Medical Parasitology , Cairo University Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Background: Because the testing for fecal occult blood (FOB) served as a non-invasive screening tool for intestinal pathological conditions, we hypothesized that FOB might correlate with pathogenic Blastocystis subtypes. Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of FOB in blastocystosis as a marker of intestinal morbidity and its correlation with the detected subtypes. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 51 patients infected with Blastocystis spp. Demographic, clinical data, and stool samples were collected. Rapid diagnostic tests for FOB and H. pylori antigens were performed, and Blastocystis strains were molecularly subtyped using the sequenced-tagged site-based PCR assay. Results: Among the study population, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms were reported in 64.71%, including abdominal pain (31.4%), diarrhea (13.7%), and irregular bowel habits (29.4%). Positive FOB was detected in 9 patients (17.6%). Two Blastocystis subtypes were identified: ST1 in 6 cases (11.8%), and ST3 in 45 (88.2%). Statistical analysis indicated a significant association between Blastocystis ST1 and alternating bowel habits. No significant association was detected between FOB and any Blastocystis subtypes, or the demographic and clinical parameters. Conclusion: The study demonstrated FOB insignificant association with blastocystosis. Accordingly, we eliminated its possible role as an intestinal morbidity marker in blastocystosis. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| blastocystosis; fecal occult blood; gastrointestinal manifestations; molecular subtyping; morbidity marker | ||||
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