[Twenty-five years of intestinal parasite prevalence in İstanbul University, İstanbul Faculty of Medicine: a retrospective study].

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study is to determine the general intestinal parasite prevalence in İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine Hospital, which is located in European and Asian geographical features of Turkey.

METHODS

Between January 1988 and December 2012, a total of 111,889 stool samples from patients who were admitted to the İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine Hospital were examined microscopically by using native lugol and formalin-ether concentration technique; in addition, the cellophane tape test technique was used to examine the perianal area.

RESULTS

The prevalence of intestinal parasites was found to be 5% (5486/111,889) in İstanbul. Giardia intestinalis was the leading parasite (62%), and the prevalence of the rest of the intestinal parasites was as follows: Enterobius vermicularis, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Blastocystis hominis: 16%, 7%, and 6%, respectively. Between 2000 and 2012, a highly significant reduction in general parasite prevalence was determined, compared to the 1988 and 2000 time period (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Socio-economic conditions might be related with the both the lower prevalence of intestinal parasites in our hospital, which is located in Marmara region, and the steady decrease of the prevalence ratio in the 2000s. The results indicate the necessity of further studies to develop effective parasitic disease control measurements.