Document Detail


Epidemiologic survey of Blastocystis hominis infection in Japan.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  9158042     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The incidence of Blastocystis hominis in a healthy population was determined by fecal examination of 6,422 Japanese and 54 resident non-Japanese who visited the St. Luke's International Hospital Health Screening Center for a routine medical check-up during a one-year period. Of the enrolled subjects, 30 Japanese (0.5%) and four non-Japanese (7.4%) had B. hominis in their stools. These individuals were asymptomatic except for one who reported flatus and one who reported mild abdominal discomfort. Statistical analysis indicated that the prevalence in the Japanese was lower than in the non-Japanese, and lower than the prevalence reported for other countries. Colonoscopic observations on seven B. hominis-positive individuals did not reveal pathogenic intestinal lesions. Several months after the first examination, 23 of the B. hominis-positive individuals, including three non-Japanese, were re-examined. Although they had not been treated with anti-B. hominis drugs, 10 individuals were now B. hominis-negative (by stool examination) and eight were passing fewer organisms. The remaining five individuals were still discharging large numbers of B. hominis. These B. hominis-positive individuals had no reported symptoms despite passing numerous organisms. Therefore, it seems that infection with B. hominis rarely gives rise to clinical symptoms. In no instance was invasion of host tissues by the organisms detected.
Authors:
N Horiki; M Maruyama; Y Fujita; T Yonekura; S Minato; Y Kaneda
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene     Volume:  56     ISSN:  0002-9637     ISO Abbreviation:  Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.     Publication Date:  1997 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1997-06-02     Completed Date:  1997-06-02     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0370507     Medline TA:  Am J Trop Med Hyg     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  370-4     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, St. Luke's International Hospital, Chuoku, Tokyo, Japan.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Age Distribution
Aged
Animals
Blastocystis Infections / epidemiology*,  parasitology
Blastocystis hominis / isolation & purification*,  pathogenicity
Blood Cell Count
Carrier State / epidemiology*,  parasitology
Feces / parasitology
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Incidence
Japan / epidemiology
Male
Middle Aged
Prevalence
Travel

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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