1. [Blastocystis--an enigmatic parasite].
- Author
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Stensvold CR, Arendrup MC, Nielsen HV, and Mølbak K
- Subjects
- Animals, Antiprotozoal Agents therapeutic use, Blastocystis isolation & purification, Blastocystis Infections diagnosis, Blastocystis Infections drug therapy, Blastocystis hominis isolation & purification, Blastocystis hominis pathogenicity, Carrier State parasitology, Humans, Metronidazole therapeutic use, Blastocystis pathogenicity, Blastocystis Infections parasitology
- Abstract
Blastocystis can be isolated from roughly 25% of patients suspected of intestinal parasitosis. At least ten subtypes (STs) have been isolated from humans and animals, and recent data demonstrate that the pathogenicity of the parasite is subtype-dependent. For instance, ST1 and ST7 are more prevalent among patients with symptoms than healthy individuals, whereas ST3 predominates among healthy carriers. The article sums up basic aspects of the parasite and gives an introduction to new data and points of criticism of previous studies seeking to unravel the pathogenicity of the parasite.
- Published
- 2009