[Underestimation of intestinal protozoa as a cause of diarrhea in family practice].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the frequency of intestinal protozoa in stool samples of patients with diarrhoea in general practice.


METHODS
General practitioners' laboratory in Haarlem, Netherlands.


METHODS
Descriptive study.


METHODS
During one year (1 February 1992 to 31 January 1993) all stool samples from patients with diarrhoea visiting a general practitioner were examined according to a standard protocol consisting of bacterial and protozoal examination.


RESULTS
Among 1703 stool examinations requested by general practitioners and performed according to the protocol, pathogenic protozoa were found in 10.8% and pathogenic bacteria in 8.6%. Of the 184 patients who tested positive for pathogenic protozoa 156 harboured Giardia lamblia, 22 Entamoeba histolytica and 6 Cryptosporidium spp. Pathogenic protozoa were predominantly found in patients with diarrhoea persisting for longer than 1 week and in cases with intermittent diarrhoea. In patients with acute diarrhoea (duration < 1 week) we predominantly found pathogenic bacteria (Campylobacyter jejuni). If the search for protozoa in the stool samples would not have been performed routinely, 34% of the pathogenic protozoa (Giardia lamblia) would not have been found.


CONCLUSIONS
Intestinal infections with protozoa are not rare in general practice. It seems worthwhile to perform protozoal examination of the stool samples in case of persistent diarrhoea.
Mank
T G
TG
Stichting Artsenlaboratorium Haarlem.
Zaat
J O
JO
Polderman
A M
AM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000821:virology; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
Onderschatting van darmprotozoa als oorzaak van diarree in de huisartspraktijk.