Mohammad Taher Ismail, PhD;  Mohannad Musley, PhD; Susan AL- Deeb, PhD; Nahla Al-Halak, PhD; Raghad Sheffeh, PhD; Bishr Bebars, PhD; Mohammad AL- Maleh, PhD

Researchers

Journal of the Arab Board of Health Specializations, Vol.11, No. 4, 2010, pages: 48-56

Published in

Objective: Is to know the prevalence of intestinal parasites among children in elementary educational level in rural of Daraa – Syria.

Methods: A total of 766 stool samples were examined, they were collected from children in elementary educational level from 62 villages in rural of Daraa in the period from July to October, 2009.

Results: Of 261 (34.7%) samples positive for parasites, 160 samples of them contained human pathogenic parasites. The pathogenic parasites according to their prevalence were: Giardia lambilia (12.66%), Candida sp. (5.74%), Chilomastix mesnili (1.96%), Hymenolepis nana (1.94%), Strongyloides stercoralis (0.9%) and finally Enterobius vermicularis (0.39%). Strongyloides stercoralis was detected for the first time in this area. The prevalence of nonpathogenic parasites was: Entamoeba coli (9.4%), Blastocystis  hominis (8.62%), Enteromonas intestinalis (0.65%), and Endolimax nana (0.39%). It is worth mentioning that Ascaris lumbricoides and Entamoeba histolytica were not detected in any of the study samples.

Conclusions: Giardia lamblia is the most common pathogenic protozoa in the rural area of Daraa in Syria; while Hymenolepis nana is the most common intestinal helminthes in this area, followed by Enterobius vermicularis then Strongyloides stercoralis.

Abstract

http://arab-board.org/sites/default/files/Vol.11-No.4.pdf

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