title: Prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis and other intestinal parasitic infections among mentally retarded residents in central institution of southern Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among mentally retarded residents of rehabilitation center of Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan province, southern Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out in central rehabilitation institute of Hormozgan province in summer 2010. Fecal samples of all 133 residents (72 males, 61 females) aged 3-52, were collected in triplicate. Specimens were examined by direct smear, formalin-ether concentration techniques and stained by permanent Trichrome, Ziehl-Neelsen stains. Statistical analysis was conducted by SPSS 13.5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intestinal parasitic infections were seen in 48.5% (64 out of 133 subjects: 53.4% in males and 46.6% in females). Strongyloides stercoralis with 17.3% showed the highest incidence followed by Entamoeba coli (9.8%), Blastocystis hominis (7.5%), Giardia lamblia (2.3%), Endolimax nana (2.3%), Hymenolepis nana (0.8%), Oxyuris vermicularis (0.8%), and Chilomasix mesnili (0.8%). Double infections were found to be as: Strongyloides stercoralis + Giardia lamblia (2.3%), Entamoeba coli + Giardia lamblia (1.5%), Entamoeba coli + Blastocystis hominis (1.5%), Oxyuris vermicularis + Entamoeba coli (0.8%), Strongyloides stercoralis + Entamoeba coli (0.8%), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings reveal that strongyloidiasis is a common disease among mentally retarded population in southern Iran.
authors.affiliation: Paramedical School of Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
authors.forename: Azar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shokri
authors.forename: Khojasteh Sharifi
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Sarasiabi
authors.forename: Saeed Hosseini
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Teshnizi
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mahmoodi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007326:Institutionalization; D007380:Intermediate Care Facilities; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Hormozgan; Intestinal pararsites; Iran; Mentally retarded; Parasitic infection; Rehabilitation centre; Strongyloides stercoralis; Strongyloidiasis