Prevalence of parasitic infection among diarrhetic patients attending the hospital in Ain Al-Tamur district, Karbala, Iraq

Abstract

Introduction: Diarrhea is one of the most common diseases, and it causes death due to
the depletion of body fluids, which leads to severe dehydration. The main causes of diarrhea
are viruses, bacteria, and parasites. The most common parasites that cause diarrhea
are “Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia.” Diarrhea infections are common in
developing countries due to unhealthy environments, poor sewage drainage, and lack of
attention to personal health.
Methods: The study was conducted on patients suffering from diarrhea who visited the
hospital in Ain Al-Tamur district, Karbala governorate, Iraq. The samples of stool were
collected in a single-use container. At first, the stool sample was examined with the naked
eye to detect the color and texture of stool, then using a microscope to detect the cysts
of the parasites.
Results: The results showed that the highest rate of parasitic infection was recorded for
Entamoeba histolytica with an infection rate of (14%), while Giardia lamblia recorded
the lowest rate of infection of (4%), and the differences were significant (p ? 0.05). Regarding
the gender, the results revealed that the differences were not significant (p ? 0.05)
between females and males for infection with both parasites. The study also showed
the effect of a person’s age on infection rates. The highest infection rate of Entamoeba
histolytica and Giardia lamblia was at the age of (16–45) years, while the minimum rate
of infection was at (< 1 year). The results also show the effect of the different seasons
of the year on the rates of Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia infection, as the
results show the highest rate of Entamoeba histolytic infection was in the spring, while
the lowest rate was in the summer. Regarding Giardia lamblia, the results revealed that
the maximum infection rate was also in spring, but the lowest rate was in winter.
Conclusion: We can conclude from the current study that the main causes of parasitic
diarrhea in the Ain Al-Tamur district are Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia and
the former is the more prevalent as well as the infection rates are affected by the age and
seasonal variation but not affected by the gender.