title: Detection of selected intestinal helminths and protozoa at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia using multiplex real-time PCR.
abstract: Intestinal parasites are the causative agents of a number of important human   infections in developing countries. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence   of selected helminths and protozoan infections among patients admitted with gastrointestinal   disorders at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia using multiplex real-time   PCR. In addition microscopic examination was also performed following direct smear, zinc   sulphate concentration and Kato-Katz thick smear techniques; and the presence of protozoan   parasites was confirmed using trichrome and acid-fast stains. Of the 225 faecal samples   analysed, 26.2% were positive for intestinal parasites by the multiplex real-time PCR, while   5.3% were positive by microscopy. As compared to microscopy, the multiplex real-time PCR   detected 5.8 and 4.5 times more positives for the selected helminth and protozoan infections   respectively. Among the selected helminths detected in this study, hookworm was the most   prevalent by real-time PCR, while Ascaris lumbricoides was detected the most by microscopy.   Meanwhile, among the selected protozoa detected in this study, Entamoeba histolytica was   the most prevalent by real-time PCR, however microscopy detected equal number of cases   with E. histolytica and Giardia lamblia. This study showed that real-time PCR can be used to   obtain a more accurate prevalence data on intestinal helminths and protozoa.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Basuni
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: N Z
authors.initials: NZ
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Noordin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006376:Helminths / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D018509:DNA, Helminth; D016054:DNA, Protozoan