title: Blastocystis in ulcerative colitis patients: Genetic diversity and analysis of laboratory findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine Blastocystis frequency and subtypes (ST) in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and analyse some laboratory findings between Blastocystis positive and negative cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Faecal samples from 150 UC patients in Adnan Menderes University, Training and Research Hospital were examined by direct microscopy and cultivated in Jones medium. Blastocystis positive cultures were subjected to DNA isolation and subtypes were identified by sequencing of barcode region. A retrospective analysis was conducted on C reactive protein (CRP), leucocyte counts (WBC), neutrophil counts, and sedimentation rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall positive rate of Blastocystis was 8% (12 patients) and the most abundant subtype was ST3 (eight isolates, 66.7%), followed by ST1, ST2 and ST7. Laboratory findings between Blastocystis infected and non-infected UC patients were not significantly different. Blastocystis frequency was 3.8% among the patients in active stage, while it was 11.8% among the patients in remission stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study confirms previous findings that have indicated the predominance of Blastocystis ST3 in humans and contributes additional evidence that suggests the low colonisation of Blastocystis infection in ulcerative colitis patients during active stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coskun
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey. Electronic address: erdogan.malatyali@adu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Erdogan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Malatyali
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ertabaklar
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Yasar
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Karaoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ertug
keywords: Blastocystis; Laboratory findings; Subtype; Ulcerative colitis