Su Fu-Hsiung, Chu Fang-Yeh, Li Chung-Yi, Tang Hui-Fei, Lin Yu-Shiang, Peng Yu-Ju, Su Yih-Ming, Lee Shyh-Dye
Department of Family Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Pan-Chiao, Taipei Hsien, Taiwan.
Parasitol Res. 2009 Oct;105(4):1007-13. doi: 10.1007/s00436-009-1509-7. Epub 2009 Jun 2.
Blastocystis hominis is probably the most common protozoan found in the human gut worldwide. In Taiwan, the prevalence of B. hominis infection is yet to be determined but is expected to be relatively higher among foreign workers. No data is available on the prevalence of B. hominis infection in long-term care facilities in Taiwan. This study included 713 subjects (552 residents and 161 care workers) from ten long-term care facilities in Taiwan who completed stool microscopic examinations with Merthiolate-iodine-formalin stain technique. The prevalence rate of blastocystosis was the highest among foreign and domestic care workers followed by residents (12.2%, 4.6%, and 2.7%, respectively). Older age (p = 0.04) and lower educational level (p = 0.008) were significantly associated with blastocystosis among care workers. Among residents, B. hominis infection was negatively associated with prolonged use of antibiotics within 3 months prior to examination (p = 0.05) and positively associated with tracheostomy in-place (p = 0.028). In conclusion, B. hominis infection was the most prevalent intestinal parasitic infection among both care workers and residents of long-term care facilities in Taiwan. Use of antibiotics was negatively associated with B. hominis infection among residents. Additionally, appropriate preventive measures should be implemented to older care workers with lesser educational attainment in order to reduce the risk of blastocystosis infection.
人芽囊原虫可能是全球人类肠道中最常见的原生动物。在台湾，人芽囊原虫感染的患病率尚未确定，但预计在外国劳工中相对较高。台湾长期照护机构中人芽囊原虫感染的患病率尚无数据。本研究纳入了台湾十家长期照护机构的713名受试者（552名居民和161名照护人员），他们采用硫柳汞-碘-福尔马林染色技术完成了粪便显微镜检查。芽囊原虫病的患病率在外国和本国照护人员中最高，其次是居民（分别为12.2%、4.6%和2.7%）。年龄较大（p = 0.04）和教育水平较低（p = 0.008）与照护人员中的芽囊原虫病显著相关。在居民中，人芽囊原虫感染与检查前3个月内长期使用抗生素呈负相关（p = 0.05），与气管切开在位呈正相关（p = 0.028）。总之，人芽囊原虫感染是台湾长期照护机构照护人员和居民中最普遍的肠道寄生虫感染。抗生素的使用与居民中人芽囊原虫感染呈负相关。此外，应针对教育程度较低的老年照护人员采取适当的预防措施，以降低芽囊原虫病感染的风险。
