Intestinal infections due to various protozoan and helminth parasites and bacteria in a tertiary care institute

Abstract

Diarrhoea due to intestinal parasites and bacteria are prevalent in individuals belonging to the lower socio-economic strata. Infectious intestinal diseases are often self-limiting. They are usually treated without proper diagnosis or information about the etiology. Important bacteria causing diarrhoea are diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli, Shigella spp, Salmonella spp, and Vibrio cholerae. The common enteric parasites like Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale, Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis, Hymenolepis nana and Strongyloides stercoralis are responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality in the extremes of age. As these parasitic infections are often overlooked, the identification of these pathogenic organisms is of great importance for proper treatment and institution of control measures.Improving the quality of the water, sanitation, and overall hygiene can help prevent diarrhoeal diseases. The accurate diagnosis of the causative agents, an institution of proper treatment and regular monitoring of antimicrobial resistance profiles will help in preventing the spread of multidrug-resistant strains in the community.