Presumptive evidence for Blastocystis hominis as a cause of colitis.
A patient with persistent diarrhea was found to have biopsy-proved colitis with large numbers of the protozoan Blastocystis hominis present in stool. Extensive evaluation failed to reveal any other potential etiologic agent of acute colitis. Following treatment with a course of metronidazole, the patient became asymptomatic, B hominis was no longer present in stool, and results of a repeated biopsy were normal. These observations are consistent with the role of B hominis as a gastrointestinal pathogen.
Russo
A R
AR
Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester 01655.
Stone
S L
SL
Taplin
M E
ME
Snapper
H J
HJ
Doern
G V
GV
D000368:Aged; D003092:Colitis / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D011528:Protozoan Infections