title: [Study on the biological characteristic of Blastocystis hominis: morphology, mode of reproduction and the relation to bacteria].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the reproductive modes of Blastocystis hominis and study the relation between this protozoa and bacteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the Iodine and Haematoxylin staining, the morphology of B. h from patients and RPMI 1640 medium were observed. The B. h positive mucous diarrheal specimens were cultured and identified any possible known pathogenic intestinal bacteria. B. h and colibacillus were co-cultured to observe the interaction between them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four modes of reproduction for B. h were confirmed: binary fission, endodyogeny, multiple fission and budding. The fact that there was no other intestinal pathogens in half of the B. h positive specimens suggested B. h may cause disease independently. B. h and colibacillus were restrained each other.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  B. h reproduces in at least four modes. B. h could be a pathogen and its pathogenesis may be related to micro-ecological changes.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministery of Education, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
authors.forename: Ji-ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhi-chao
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Jun-hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ya-qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016845:Blastocystis hominis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology