Prevalence ofSporozoan and Parasitic Enteropathogen Protozoans inPatients with Gastroenteritis in Iran

Parasitic gastroenteritis is one of the most common illnesses in humans worldwide. Most studies on gastroenteritis have focused on viral and bacterial infections, while parasitic enteropathogens and especially intestinal protozoan parasites may play a role that has not been well studied. The aim of this study is to identify the prevalence of enteropathogenic parasites and sporozoan protozoa in patients with gastroenteritis in selected hospitals in seven provinces of Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, randomly 4200 stool specimens were obtained from patients with gastroenteritis in selected hospitals. Primarily samples were examined directly for enteroparasites. The samples were filtered and concentra ted by using the Paraseb Kit; and fixed, and stained by different methods including acid -fast staining, Auramin phenol fluorescence staining, and Giemsa staining were observed using light microscopy under various magnifications. Results: The results revealed the overall rate of parasitic infection was 2.4% in the studied population. The highest rate of infection was observed in the 0 -10 year age-group (47.2%). Among the infected patients, 59.5% were male and the rest were female patients. OriginalResearch Article