title: Gastrointestinal parasites presentations and histological diagnosis from endoscopic biopsies and surgical specimens.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To diagnose parasitic ova or worms during endoscopy, surgery or by histology from endoscopic or surgical specimen in our patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The diagnosis of parasitic disease in our patients was made by histological examinations from biopsies obtained either during an upper gastrointestinal or lower gastrointestinal endoscopy or from surgical specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parasites were seen in endoscopic biopsies from upper gastrointestinal tract in 21 patients. Schistosoma ova was seen in biopsies from stomach or duodenum (12 patients). Small intestine biopsies showed Giardiasis (8 patients) and strongyloides (1 patient). Colonic biopsies showed schistosoma ova by paraffin section or by squash technique in 216 patients. Surgical specimens from 12 patients, who presented with acute abdomen and had surgery, due to appendicitis in 8 patients, in whom specimens showed (Schistosoma in 5 patients, amoebiasis in 2 patients and Trichuria in 1 patient). Four other patients presented with acute abdomen, where ischemic bowel necrosis or mesenteric vein thrombosis was found during surgery, specimens showed schistosoma ova.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diagnosis of gastrointestinal parasites is not only made by stool but the diagnosis can be made by histology from endoscopic biopsies or surgical specimens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Z M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Ghandour
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Al-Karawi
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Yasawy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sammak
mesh_terms: D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies