title: Prevalence of parasites in patients with gastroenteritis at East of Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran.
abstract: Parasitic gastrointestinal infections are one of the most important health problems   in the developing countries, which lead to the onset of intestinal disease particularly diarrhoea.   Due to the particular geographic situation in the Mazandaran province, individuals are infected   with various intestinal parasites. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rate   of enteropathogenic parasites in the patients with gastroenteritis living at the east of   Mazandaran province (Sari, Nekah and Joybar cities), northern Iran. This descriptive study   was carried out from September 2009 to March 2010. Faecal samples were collected by   randomized cluster method from 962 patients with gastroenteritis who were refered to the   Health Service Centers of Sari, Neka and Joybar cities. All data about the patients were   recorded in questionnaire. Stool specimens were examined by direct wet mounting, formolether   concentration, and Ziehl-Neelsen acid fast stain and Auramin Phenol fluorescence   (APF) method for the investigation of Cryptosporidium and Isospora. Prevalence of intestinal   parasites and their relationship with gender, age, and season were investigated, and the   obtained data were analyzed with χ² test using the SPSS software (16.0). Out of 962 patients   with gastroenteritis, overall infection was 9.1%; Giardia lamblia (4.1%) with the highest and   Enterobius vermicularis (0.2%) with the lowest prevalence rate. Prevalence rate of other   parasites were as follow: Cryptosporidium, 0.1%; Entamoeba histolytica, 0.1%; Chilomastix   mesnili, 0.1%; Entamoeba coli, 1.2%; Blastocytis hominis, 1.8%; Trichostrongylus spp., 0.4%   and Hymenolepis nana, 0.9%. Findings showed that Giardia is the most common cause of   intestinal infection at the east of Mazandaran province, and could be defined as the most   important parasitic agent of gastroenteritis. On the other hand, infection with enteropathogenic   parasites as compared with the previous reports showed significant decline, which reveals   the coverage of health education, increase of public knowledge on the parasitic diseases and   sanitation of living environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Sari Medical School, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vahedi
authors.forename: Shaban
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gohardehi
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Daryani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010271:Parasites / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult