title: Prevalence of intestinal parasites in the area of Parma during the year 2005.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intestinal parasitosis represent a relevant clinical problem, especially in developing countries, where they are responsible for morbidity and mortality in adults and children and many epidemiological data are available for these areas. The actual situation of intestinal parasitosis in Europe is not yet well investigated since they are usually not notified. We describe the occurrence of intestinal parasitosis in our laboratory from January to December 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  We considered all patients (1117) whose stool samples were sent to our laboratory with the suspect of intestinal parasitosis during the year 2005. Each specimen was subjected to macroscopic and microscopic examination to demonstrate the presence of worm eggs, larvae, protozoan trophozoites or cysts and to an immunochromatographic assay to detect Giardia intestinalis and Cryptosporidium spp. specific antigens. Cultures for protozoa and helminths were carried out and a PCR specific for Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar was also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results indicated that 148 patients (13.24%) were affected by intestinal parasitosis. Among the 951 Italians, 96 (10%) were infected, while out of a total of 166 foreigners 52 had intestinal parasitosis (31%). Moreover, we found that 113 infections were caused by only one parasite while 35 were mixed infections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intestinal parasitosis represent a remarkable cause of gastrointestinal disease and our study demonstrates that these infections are quite common in our area, affecting both Italians and non European citizens from developing countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Section of Microbiology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peruzzi
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gorrini
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piccolo
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calderaro
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dettori
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chezzi
mesh_terms: D000300:Adoption; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D003906:Developing Countries; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology