title: Treatment of Dientamoeba fragilis in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
abstract: The role of Dientamoeba fragilis in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is incompletely known. We aimed to investigate whether eradication of D. fragilis alleviates symptoms in IBS. Twenty-five D. fragilis-positive IBS patients were treated with Metronidazole (MZ) or Tetracycline. The patients were mostly female (89%), and mean age (SD) was 35.1 (8.2) years. Microbiological response, evaluated 2 weeks post-treatment, was observed in 15 of 25 patients (60%), all by MZ. Clinical response, defined as adequate relief of symptoms, was observed in 7 of 22 patients (32%), all by MZ. In a logistic regression analysis, we found no significant association between clinical and microbiological response. This case study did not support our hypothesis of a simple association between D. fragilis and IBS. Some D. fragilis-infections were insufficiently treated by MZ. Further studies into the prevalence and effect of eradication of D. fragilis in IBS and into efficient treatments of D. fragilis are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Køge Hospital, Lykkebækvej 1, Køge, Denmark. engsbro@live.dk
authors.forename: Anne Line
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Engsbro
authors.forename: C Rune
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Stensvold
authors.forename: Henrik V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bytzer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003718:Denmark; D004029:Dientamoeba / Q000145:classification*; D004030:Dientamoebiasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D008795:Metronidazole