EVIDENCE OF WATERBORNE TRANSMISSION OF BLASTOCYSTIS HOMINIS

SAOVANEE LEELAYOOVA Department of Parasitology and Department of Military and Community Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

Search for other papers by SAOVANEE LEELAYOOVA in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
RAM RANGSIN Department of Parasitology and Department of Military and Community Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

Search for other papers by RAM RANGSIN in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
PAANJIT TAAMASRI Department of Parasitology and Department of Military and Community Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

Search for other papers by PAANJIT TAAMASRI in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
TAWEE NAAGLOR Department of Parasitology and Department of Military and Community Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

Search for other papers by TAWEE NAAGLOR in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
UMAPORN THATHAISONG Department of Parasitology and Department of Military and Community Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

Search for other papers by UMAPORN THATHAISONG in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
MATHIRUT MUNGTHIN Department of Parasitology and Department of Military and Community Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

Search for other papers by MATHIRUT MUNGTHIN in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
Restricted access

A cross-sectional study was performed in February 2001 to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of Blastocystis hominis infection in army personnel who resided in an army base in Chonburi, Thailand. A total of 904 army personnel were enrolled in this study. Short-term in vitro cultivation was used to detect B. hominis in stool samples. In this population, B. hominis was the parasite most frequently found, and was identified in 334 of 904 stool specimens (36.9%). A significant association between B. hominis infection and symptoms was identified that might emphasize the role of B. hominis as a human pathogen. After adjustment for potential confounders, significantly increased risk of being infection with B. hominis was associated with being a private, working in a specific unit, and consuming unboiled drinking water. Thus, waterborne transmission of B. hominis infection was indicated at this army base. However, other modes of transmission cannot be ruled out.

  • 1

    Hahn P, Fleischer NFK, 1985. Blastocystis hominis-is it of clinical importance? Trop Med Parasitol 36 :7–8.

  • 2

    Hussain Qadri SM, Al-Okaili GA, Al-Dayel F, 1989. Clinical significance of Blastocystis hominis.J Clin Microbiol 27 :2407–2409.

  • 3

    Udkow MP, Markell EK, 1993. Blastocystis hominis: prevalence in asymptomatic versus symptomatic hosts. J Infect Dis 168 :242–244.

  • 4

    Shilm DR, Hoge CW, Rajah R, Rabold JG, Echeverria P, 1995. Is Blastocystis hominis a cause of diarrhea in travelers? A prospective controlled study in Nepal. Clin Infect Dis 21 :97–101.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 5

    Kain KC, Noble MA, Freeman HJ, Barteluk RL, 1987. Epidemiological and clinical features associated with Blastocystis hominis infection. Diag Microbiol Infect Dis 8 :235–244.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 6

    Llibre JM, Tor J, Manterola JM, Carbonell C, Foz M, 1989. Blastocystis hominis chronic diarrhoea in AIDS patients (letter). Lancet i :221.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 7

    Doyle PW, Helgason MM, Mathias RG, Proctor EM, 1990. Epidemiology and pathogenicity of Blastocystis hominis.J Clin Microbiol 28 :116–121.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 8

    Sheehan JP, Ulchaker MM, 1990. Blastocystis hominis treatable cause of diabetes diarrhea. Diabetes Care 13 :906–907.

  • 9

    Garavelli PL, Scoglione L, Libanore M, Rolston K, 1991. Blastocystosis: a new disease in patients with leukemia (letter). Hematologica 76 :80.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 10

    Cirioni O, Giacometti A, Drenaggi D, Ancarani F, Scalise G, 1999. Prevalence and clinical relevance of Blastocystis hominis in diverse patient cohorts. Eur J Epidemiol 15 :989–993.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 11

    Ashford RW, Atkinson EA, 1992. Epidemiology of Blastocystis hominis infection in Papua New Guinea: age-prevalence and associations with other parasites. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 86 :129–136.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 12

    Nimri LF, 1993. Evidence of an epidemic of Blastocystis hominis infections in preschool children in northern Jordan. J Clin Microbiol 31 :2706–2708.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 13

    Borda CE, Rea MJ, Rosa JR, Maidana C, 1996. Intestinal parasitism in San Cayetano, Corrientes, Argentina. Bull Pan Am Health Organ 30 :227–233.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 14

    Taamasri P, Mungthin M, Rangsin R, Tongupprakarn B, Areekul W, Leelayoova S, 2000. Transmission of intestinal blastocystosis related to the quality of drinking water. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 31 :112–117.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 15

    Mungthin M, Suwannasaeng R, Naaglor T, Areekul W, Leelayoova S, 2001. Asymptomatic intestinal microsporidiosis in Thai orphans and child-care workers. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 95 :304–306.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 16

    Taamasri P, Leelayoova S, Rangsin R, Naaglor T, Ketupanya A, Mungthin M, 2002. Prevalence of Blastocystis hominis carriage in Thai army personnel based in Chonburi, Thailand. Mil Med 167 :643–646.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 17

    Leelayoova S, Taamasri P, Rangsin R, Naaglor T, Thathaisong U, Mungthin M, 2002. In vitro cultivation: a sensitive method for detecting Blastocystis hominis.Ann Trop Med Parasitol 96 :803–807.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 18

    Jones WR, 1946. The experimental infection of rats with Entamoeba histolytica.Ann Trop Med Parasitol 40 :130–140.

  • 19

    Russo AR, Stone SL, Taplin ME, Snapper HJ, Doern GV, 1988. Presumptive evidence for Blastocystis hominis as a cause of colitis. Arch Intern Med 148 :1064.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 20

    Ghosh K, Ayyaril M, Nirmala V, 1998. Acute GVHD involving the gastrointestinal tract and infestation with Blastocystis hominis in a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 22 :1115–1117.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 21

    Giacometti A, Cirioni O, Fiorentini A, Fortuna M, Scalise G, 1999. Irritable bowel syndrome in patients with Blastocystis hominis infection. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 18 :436–439.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 22

    Garcia LS, Bruckner DA, Clancy MN, 1984. Clinical relevance of Blastocystis hominis.Lancet i :1233–1234.

  • 23

    Böhm-Gloning B, Knobloch J, Walderich B, 1997. Five subgroups of Blastocystis hominis isolates from symptomatic and asymptomatic patients revealed by restriction site analysis of PCR-amplified 16S-like rDNA. Trop Med Int Health 2 :771–778.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 24

    Clark GC, 1997. Extensive genetic diversity in Blastocystis hominis.Mol Biochem Parasitol 87 :79–83.

  • 25

    Hoevers J, Holman P, Logan K, Hommel M, Ashford R, Snowden K, 2000. Restriction- fragment-length polymorphism analysis of small-subunit rRNA genes of Blastocystis hominis isolates from geographically diverse human hosts. Parasitol Res 86 :57–61.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 26

    Moe KT, Singh M, Howe J, Ho LC, Tan SW, Ng GC, Chen XQ, Yap EH, 1996. Observations on the ultrastructure and viability of the cystic stage of Blastocystis hominis from human feces. Parasitol Res 82 :439–444.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 27

    Moe KT, Singh M, Howe J, Ho LC, Tan SW, Ng GC, Chen XQ, Yap EH, 1997. Experimental Blastocystis hominis infection in laboratory mice. Parasitol Res 83 :319–325.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 28

    Nimri L, Batchoun, 1994. Intestinal colonization of symptomatic and asymptomatic schoolchildren with Blastocystis hominis.J Clin Microbiol 32 :2865–2866.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 29

    Tan KSW, Singh M, Yap EH, 2002. Recent advances in Blastocystis hominis research: hot spots in terra incognita. Int J Parasitol 32 :789–804.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 30

    Zaki M, Zaman V, Sheikh NA, 1996. Resistance of Blastocystis hominis cysts to chlorine. J Pakistan Med Assoc 46 :178–179.

  • 31

    Pakandl M, 1991. Occurrence of Blastocystis sp. in pigs. Folia Parasitol 38 :297–301.

  • 32

    Boreham PFL, Stenzel DJ, 1993. Blastocystis in humans and animals: morphology, biology, and epizootiology. Adv Parasitol 32 :1–70.

  • 33

    Duda A, Stenzel DJ, Boreham PFL, 1998. Detection of Blastocystis sp. in domestic dogs and cats. Vet Parasitol 76 :9–17.

  • 34

    Abe N, Nagoshi M, Takami K, Sawano Y, Yoshikawa H, 2002. A survey of Blastocystis sp. in livestock, pets, and zoo animals in Japan. Vet Parasitol 106 :203–212.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 35

    Rajah SH, Suresh KG, Vellayan S, Mak JW, Khairul AA, Init I, Vennila GD, Saminathan R, Ramakrishnan K, 1999. Blastocystis in animal handlers. Parasito Res 85 :1032–1033.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 36

    Noël C, Peyronnet C, Gerbod D, Edgcomb VP, Delgado-Viscogliosi P, Sogin ML, Capron M, Viscogliosi E, Zenner L, 2003. Phylogenetic analysis of Blastocystis isolates from different hosts based on the comparison of small-subunit rRNA gene sequences. Mol Biochem Parasitol 126 :119–123.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 37

    Thathaisong U, Worapong J, Mungthin M, Tanariya P, Viputtigul K, Sudatis A, Noonai A, Leelayoova S, 2003. Blastocystis isolates from a pig and a horse are closely related to Blastocystis hominis.J Clin Microbiol 41 :967–975.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
Past two years Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 40 40 12
Full Text Views 690 404 1
PDF Downloads 190 60 0
 
Membership Banner
 
 
 
Affiliate Membership Banner
 
 
Research for Health Information Banner
 
 
CLOCKSS
 
 
 
Society Publishers Coalition Banner
Save