Abstract
BackgroundBlastocystis spp. are considered pathogenic or commensal organisms, although the majority of researchers suggest that these are neglected pathogens. The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis spp. in pre- and perimenopausal women, with respect to socio-demographic (age and place of residence), and epidemiological factors, as well as drinking tap water, contact with domestic animals, traveling abroad, health status, and presence of gastrointestinal symptoms. Additionally, the objective was to compare hematological and biochemical parameters of Blastocystis spp. infected and uninfected women.MethodsThe study included 425 women aged 45–60. Their stool samples were examined microscopically and analyzed by a conventional polymerase chain reaction (cPCR).ResultsBlastocystis spp. were detected in 6.1% of pre- and perimenopausal women. Molecular analysis of the stool samples identified seven Blastocystis subtypes (ST1–ST4, ST6, ST7, and ST9). Blastocystis subtypes 2 and 3 were the most prevalent. The presence of Blastocystis spp. was not significantly related to socio-demographic and epidemiological factors. There were also no significant associations between Blastocystis spp. and blood parameters, or gastrointestinal symptoms.ConclusionThis study complements the limited available data on the prevalence of Blastocystis spp. in pre- and perimenopausal women. It is also the first report showing the presence of Blastocystis subtype 9 in Poland.
Highlights
Blastocystis spp. are considered pathogenic or commensal organisms, the majority of researchers suggest that these are neglected pathogens
We found an association between a place of spending holidays on Blastocystis spp. infection (p < 0.01); an odds ratio is less than 1 which means that there is a lower chance of Blastocystis spp. infection while traveling abroad than spending holidays in Poland
It was observed that women who lived in urban regions or drinking tap water have a bigger chance of getting infected with Blastocystis spp. than those patients who lived in rural areas and don’t drink tap water (OR > 1)
Summary
Blastocystis spp. are considered pathogenic or commensal organisms, the majority of researchers suggest that these are neglected pathogens. Blastocystis spp. are considered pathogenic or commensal organisms, the majority of researchers suggest that these are. Infections in the elderly can be associated with atypical symptoms. The reason for this could be the weakening of cellular and humoral immunity, caused by the effect of aging on the gut microbiota. The cyst form is considered to represent the infectious stage; its transmission takes place via the fecal–oral route and can occur via contaminated water or food, human-tohuman contact, or animal-to-human contact [1, 17, 18]. Studies using a rat model have demonstrated that the infective dose must contain at least 10 cysts [19]
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