[Blastocystis hominis and abdominal pain in childhood]

An Esp Pediatr. 1993 Jan;38(1):13-6.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

We report the clinical features observed in 10 children, ranging from 5 1/12 to 13 7/12 years of age, with intestinal infections caused by Blastocystis hominis. A parasitological study of the stools was made by using the ethyl-acetate formol concentration technique and a count of the number of B. hominis per field was performed. In 8 of the cases, no other enteropathogens (viruses, bacteria or other parasites) were found, whereas in 2 cases Giardia lamblia was also isolated. Nine out of ten of the patients presented with abdominal pain. In three of the cases it appeared as a pseudo-appendicular ailment which led to an appendectomy. Those children who were treated with metronidazole and those who were not treated with antibiotic recovered satisfactorily.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain / etiology*
  • Abdominal Pain / parasitology
  • Adolescent
  • Animals
  • Blastocystis Infections / complications*
  • Blastocystis Infections / drug therapy
  • Blastocystis hominis*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Colitis / etiology
  • Colitis / parasitology
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Metronidazole / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Metronidazole