Abstract
Blastocystis sp. is the most common intestinal parasite isolated in humans. The aim of the study was to describe the risk factors associated to Blastocystis sp. detection. A case-control retrospective study was carried out at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital (Barcelona, Spain), which receives all fecal samples collected in Barcelona at primary care level. Eligible patients were patients older than 18 years in whom three consecutive stool samples were examined for parasitic diagnosis from January to December 2017. Positive patients for Blastocystis sp. were assigned as cases whereas negative patients were assigned as controls. Overall, 4174 patients were eligible for the study, from whom 724 (17.3%) had Blastocystis sp. detection. From these, 170 cases (Blastocystis sp. positive) and 170 controls (Blastocystis sp. negative) were randomly selected for inclusion. One hundred and twenty-six (37.1%) of them were immigrants, and 171 (50.3%) patients had traveled out of Spain the year before. The majority of individuals had jobs with no direct contact with other people (health personnel, teachers, and caregivers) (85.6%), and 29.4% were in usual contact with animals. Regarding clinical information, 68.2% of patients presented digestive symptoms, 3.5% presented an immunosuppressant condition, and 6.5% were infected by other intestinal parasites. Variables associated to Blastocystis sp. detection were being born in Africa, having traveled abroad, and working in direct contact with other people. Having other intestinal parasitic infections had a protective value. Our study provides new insights into the epidemiology of Blastocystis sp. in industrialized countries.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barbosa CV, Barreto MM, De Jesus AR, Sodré F, D’avila Levy CM, Mauro J et al (2018) Intestinal parasite infections in a rural community of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil): prevalence and genetic diversity of Blastocystis subtypes. PLoS One 13:1–12
Dacal E, Saugar J, De Lucio A, De Mingo MH, Robinson E, Köster P et al (2018) Prevalence and molecular characterization of Strongyloides stercoralis, Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp. and Blastocystis spp. isolates in school children in Cubal, Western Angola. Parasit Vectors 11:1–18
Liao CW, Chuang TW, Huang YC, Chou CM, Chiang CL, Lee FP et al (2017) Intestinal parasitic infections: current prevalence and risk factors among schoolchildren in capital area of the Republic of Marshall Islands. Acta Trop 176:242–248
Popruk S, Rada Pintong A, Radomyos P (2013) Diversity of Blastocystis subtypes in humans. J Trop Med Parasitol 36:88–97
Kazmarekk A, Gola BE, Zarnoska Prymek H, Rawska A, Janzak D, Lewicki A et al (2017) Genetic diversity of Blastocystis hominis sensu lato isolated from humans in Poland. Przegl Epidemiol 71:539–546
Mohamed AM, Ahmed MA, Ahmed SA, Al-Semany SA, Alghamdi SS, Zaglool DA (2017) Predominance and association risk of Blastocystis hominis subtype 1 in colorectal cancer: a case control study. Infect Agent Cancer 12:21
El-Safadi D, Gaayeb L, Meloni D, Cian A, Poirier P, Wawryniak et al (2014) Children on Senegal river basin show the highest prevalence of Blastocystis sp. ever observed worldwide. BMC Infect Dis 14:1–11
Alfellani MA, Stesnvold CR, Vidal-Lapiedra A, Onuoha ES, Fagbenro-Beyjoku AF, Clark CG (2013) Variable geographic distribution of Blastocystis subtypes and its potential implications. Acta Trop 126:11–18
Heydary-Hengami M, Hamedi Y, Najadi-Asl M, Sharifi-Sarasiabi K (2018) Prevalence of intestinal parasites in food handlers of Bandar Abbas, Southern Iran. Iran J Public Health 47:111–118
Belleza MLB, Cadacio JLC, Borja MP, Solon JAA, Padilla MA, Tongol-Rivera PN et al (2015) Epidemiologic study of Blastocystis infection in an urban community in the Philippines. J Environ Public Health 2015:1–7
Javanmard E, Niyyati M, Ghasemi E, Mirjalali H, Asadzadeh-Aghdaei H, Zali MR (2018) Impacts of human development index and climate conditions on prevalence of Blastocystosis a systematic review and meta-analysis. Acta Trop 185:193–203
Leder K, Hellar ME, Sinclair MI, Fairley CK, Wolfe R (2005) No correlation between clinical symptoms and Blastocystis hominis in immunocompetent individuals. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 20:1390–1394
Sohail MR, Fischer PR (2005) Blastocystis hominis and travelers. Travel Med Infect Dis 3:33–38
Eroglu F, Koltas IS (2010) Evaluation of the transmission mode of B. hominis by using PCR method. Parasitol Res 107(84):841–845
Salvador F, Sulleiro E, Sánchez-Montalvá A, Alonso C, Santos J, Fuentes I et al (2016) Epidemiological and clinical profile of adult patients with Blastocystis hominis infection in Barcelona, Spain. Parasit Vectors 9:1–7
Stensvold CR, Lewis HC, Hammerum AM, Porsbo LJ, Nielsen SS, Olsen KEP et al (2009) Blastocystis: unravelling potential risk factors and clinical significance of a common but neglected parasite. Epidemiol Infect 137:1655–1663
Wawrzyniak I, Poirier P, Viscolgliosi E, Dionigia M, Texier C, Delbac F et al (2013) Blastocystis, and unrecognized parasite: an overview of pathogenesis and diagnosis. Ther Adv Inf Dis 5:167–178
Paulos S, Köster P, Lucio A, Hernández-de-Mingo M, Cardona GA, Fernández-Crespo JC, Stensvold CR, Carmena D (2018) Occurrence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp. in humans, dogs and cats sharing household in northern Spain and assessment of zoonotic transmission risk. Zoonoses Public Health 65:993–1002
Del Aguila C, Navajas R, Gurbindo D, Ramos JT, Mellado MJ, Fenoy S, Muóz MA, Subirats M, Ruiz J, Pleniazek NJ (1997) Microsporidiosis in HIV-positive children in Madrid (Spain). J Eukaryot Microbiol 44(6):84–85
Bart A, Wentink-Bonnema EM, Gilis H, Verhaar N, Wassenaar CJ, Van Vugt M et al (2013) Diagnosis and subtype analysis of Blastocystis sp. in 442 patients in a hospital setting in the Netherlands. BMC Infect Dis 13:1–6
Stensvold CR, Clark CG (2016) Current status of Blastocystis: a personal view. Parasitol Int 65:763–771
Beghini F, Pasolli E, Truong TD, Putignani L, Caddiò SM, Segata N (2017) Large-scale comparative metagenomics of Blastocystis, a common member of the human gut microbiome. ISME J 11:2848–2863
Krogsgaard LR, Engsbro AL, Stensvold CR, Nielsen HV, Bytzer P (2015) The prevalence of intestinal parasites is not greater among individuals with irritable bowel syndrome: a population-based case-control study. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 13:507–513
González-Moreno O, Domingo L, Teixidor J, Gracenea M (2011) Prevalence and associated factors of intestinal parasitation: a cross-sectional study among outpatients with gastrointestinal symptoms in Catalonia, Spain. Parasitol Res 108:87–89
Ocaña-Losada C, Cuenca-Gómez JA, Cabezas-Fernández MT, Vázquez-Villegas K, Soriano-Pérez MJ, Cabeza-Barrera I et al (2018) Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of intestinal parasite infection by Blastocystis hominis. Rev Clin Esp 218:115–120
Martín-Sánchez AM, Canut-Blasco A, Hernández JR, Montes-Martínez I, Rodriguez JAG (1992) Epidemiology and clinical significance of Blastocystis hominis in different population groups in Salamanca, Spain. Eur J Epidemiol 8:553–559
El-Safadi D, Cian A, Nourrisson C, Pereira B, Morelle C, Bastien P et al (2016) Prevalence, risk factors for infection and subtype distribution of the intestinal parasite Blastocystis sp. from a large-scale multi-center study in France. BMC Infect Dis 16:451–462
Mohtashamipour M, Hoseini SG, Pestehchian N, Yousefi H, Fallah E, Hazratian T (2015) Intestinal parasitic infections in patients with diabetes mellitus: a case-control study. J Anal Res Clin Med 3:157–163
Ghimire A, Bhandaria S, Tandukar S, Amatya J, Bhandari D, Sherchand JB (2016) Enteric parasitic infection among HIV-infected patients visiting Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. Nepal BMC Res Not 9:1–5
Punsawad C, Phasuk N, Bunratsami S, Thongtup K, Siripakonuaong N, Nongnaul S (2017) Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection and associated risk factors among village health volunteers in rural communities of Southern Thailand. BMC Public Health 17:1–9
Salim HR, Kumar GS, Vellayan S, Mak JW, Anuar AK, Init I et al (1999) Blastocystis in animal handlers. Parasitol Res 85:1032–1033
Alfellani MA, Jacob AS, Perea NO, Krecek RC, Taner-Mulla D, Verweij JJ et al (2013) Diversity and distribution of Blastocystis sp. subtypes in non-human primates. Parasitol. 140:966–971
Marcos LA, Gotuzzo E (2013) Intestinal protozoan infections in the immunocompromised host. Curr Opinion Inf Dis 26:295–301
Leelayoova S, Siripattanapipong S, Thathaisong U, Naaglor T, Taamasri P, Piyaraj P et al (2008) Drinking water: a possible source of Blastocystis spp. subtype 1 infection in schoolchildren of a rural community in Central Thailand. Am J Trop Med Hyg 79:401–406
Ramírez JD, Flórez C, Olivera M, Bernal MC, Giraldo JC (2017) Blastocystis subtyping and its association with intestinal parasites in children from different geographical regions of Colombia. PLoS One 12:1–13
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflicts of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Ethical approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Informed consent
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Electronic supplementary material
Supplementary material
: Standardized questionnaire to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients. (DOCX 14 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hidalgo, L., Salvador, F., Sulleiro, E. et al. Evaluation of risk factors associated to detection of Blastocystis sp. in fecal samples in population from Barcelona, Spain: a case-control study. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 38, 1241–1247 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-019-03532-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-019-03532-z