title: Molecular epidemiology of Blastocystis in Lebanon and correlation between subtype 1 and gastrointestinal symptoms.
abstract: Blastocystis is the most common eukaryotic parasite in the intestinal tract of humans. Because of its potential impact in public health, we acquired the first data concerning the prevalence of this parasite and the frequency of the Blastocystis subtypes (STs) in the Lebanese population. In this study, fecal samples from 220 Lebanese symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were collected and a total of 42 patients (19%) were identified as positive for this parasite by direct-light microscopy of smears. Among these, 36 Blastocystis isolates were genotyped using partial small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. The ST distribution in the present Lebanese population was as follows: ST3 (33.3%), ST2 (33.3%), ST1 (30.6%), and ST4 (2.8%). These data were compared with those available in other Middle Eastern and neighboring countries. Finally, ST1 was significantly more prevalent among symptomatic patients of this Lebanese population.
authors: Institut Pasteur de Lille, Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, Université Lille Nord de France, EA4547, Lille, France. dima.elsafadi@hotmail.com
authors: Dima
authors: D
authors: El Safadi
authors: Dionigia
authors: D
authors: Meloni
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Poirier
authors: Marwan
authors: M
authors: Osman
authors: Amandine
authors: A
authors: Cian
authors: Lobna
authors: L
authors: Gaayeb
authors: Ivan
authors: I
authors: Wawrzyniak
authors: Frederic
authors: F
authors: Delbac
authors: Hicham
authors: H
authors: El Alaoui
authors: Laurence
authors: L
authors: Delhaes
authors: Eduardo
authors: E
authors: Dei-Cas
authors: Hassan
authors: H
authors: Mallat
authors: Fouad
authors: F
authors: Dabboussi
authors: Monzer
authors: M
authors: Hamze
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Viscogliosi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016844:Blastocystis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016776:Blastocystis Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000469:parasitology*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D054679:Ribosome Subunits, Small / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013048:Specimen Handling; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan