title: Intestinal parasitoses in a tertiary-care hospital located in a non-endemic setting during 2006-2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiology of intestinal parasitoses during a 5-year period in patients attending a tertiary-care hospital in a non-endemic setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the period 2006-2010, 15,752 samples from 8,886 patients with clinically suspected parasitosis were subjected to macroscopic and microscopic examination, to parasitic antigen detection assays, and to cultures for protozoa and nematodes. Real-time PCR assays for the differentiation of Entamoeba histolytica and E. dispar and for the detection of Dientamoeba fragilis were also used.A statistical analysis evaluating the demographic data of the patients with intestinal parasitic infections was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intestinal parasitic infections were diagnosed in 1,477 patients (16.6% prevalence), mainly adults and immigrants from endemic areas for faecal-oral infections; protozoa were detected in 93.4% and helminths in 6.6% of the cases, the latter especially in immigrants. Blastocystis hominis was the most common intestinal protozoan, and G. intestinalis was the most frequently detected among pathogenic protozoa, prevalent in immigrants, males, and pediatric patients. Both single (77.9%) and mixed (22.1%) parasitic infections were observed, the latter prevalent in immigrants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the importance of the knowledge about the epidemiology of intestinal parasitoses in order to adopt appropriate control measures and adequate patient care all over the world, data regarding industrialized countries are rarely reported in the literature. The data presented in this study indicate that intestinal parasitic infections are frequently diagnosed in our laboratory and could make a contribution to stimulate the attention by physicians working in non-endemic areas on the importance of suspecting intestinal parasitoses.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Microbiology and Virology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Viale A, Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy. adriana.calderaro@unipr.it.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calderaro
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Montecchini
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gorrini
authors.forename: Flora
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Conto
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Medici
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chezzi
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Arcangeletti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006376:Helminths; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010272:Parasitic Diseases; D015995:Prevalence; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data