title: Intestinal parasitic infections among mentally handicapped individuals in Alexandria, Egypt.
abstract: This cross-sectional study was carried to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among mentally handicapped individuals in Alexandria, Egypt, in the period from December 2012 till November 2013. The study was conducted on 200 institutionalized and non-institutionalized mentally handicapped individuals. Fresh stool samples were subjected to different stains including; trichrome for detecting intestinal protozoa, modified acid fast stain for intestinal coccidia and quick hot gram chromotrope stain for Microsporidia. Also they were processed by Kato-Katz and formol ethyl acetate techniques for intestinal helminths. Additionally, blood samples were collected for measuring hemoglobin levels. Out of 200 mentally handicapped individuals, 87 (43.5%) were infected. The infection rates were 44.6% and 42.6% for non-institutionalized and institutionalized people, respectively. Regarding gender, 46.7% and 38.5% were reported for the males and females respectively. The most common parasites detected were: Cryptosporidium sp. (23.5%), microsporidia (15%), Giardia lamblia (8.5%), Dientamoeba fragilis (8%), Cyclospora cyatanensis (7.5%), Blastocystis hominis (6.5%), Entamoeba histolytica (5.5%) and Entamoeba coli (2.5%). Rates for Isospora belli and Enterobius vermicularis were estimated to be 1.5% for each, while lower rate was reported for Iodamoeba butschlii (1.0%). Prevalence of infections among mentally handicapped individuals are indications for several risk factors, including improper sanitary hygiene and illiteracy about personal hygiene. Therefore, frequent investigations, health care and medical intervention are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Health (Parasitology and Medical Entomology), High Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, 65 Al-Horeya Road, Alexandria, PO Box 21561, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amany I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Shehata
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Drug Manufacturing, Pharos University, Qism Sidi Gabir, Alexandria, PO Box 37, Egypt.
authors.forename: Faika
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hassanein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D055815:Young Adult