Blastocystis spp. in a Brazilian Teaching Hospital: A 6-Year Study
Author Information
Author(s): Gessica Baptista de Melo, Marcelo Alves Ferreira, Vera Lucia Pagliusi Castilho, Elenice Messias do Nascimento Gonçalves, Ronaldo Cesar Borges Gryschek, Fabiana Martins de Paula
Primary Institution: Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo
Hypothesis
What is the frequency of Blastocystis spp. in stool samples from patients at a teaching hospital in Brazil over a six-year period?
Conclusion
The study found a high positivity rate of 69.6% for Blastocystis spp. in stool samples analyzed.
Supporting Evidence
- Blastocystis spp. was found in 69.6% of the stool samples analyzed.
- The average age of positive cases was 41.2 years.
- Statistical analysis showed significant differences in positivity based on age.
- High positivity rates were observed in organ transplant and gastroenterology services.
Takeaway
The study looked at poop samples from patients and found that a lot of them had a tiny bug called Blastocystis, which can sometimes make people sick.
Methodology
A retrospective descriptive analysis of stool samples from 2016 to 2021, using various parasitological techniques.
Limitations
Lack of clinical and epidemiological data prevented establishing associations between Blastocystis spp. and symptoms.
Participant Demographics
The study included 500 patients, with 57% female and ages ranging from under one year to 92 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.02394
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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