Blastocystis hominis among apparently healthy food handlers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

A prospective study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of Blastocystis hominis among random sample of apparently healthy food handlers. A total of 250 non Saudi males over 21 years of age were examined. Ninety (36%) had pathogenic and non pathogenic intestinal parasites. A total of 143 parasites were detected in their stool specimens. Twenty were B. hominis (13.99%) while other parasites were 123 (86.01%). B. hominis was found in 20 positive cases (22.22%) with an overall rate of 8%. Of these twenty cases, two had B. hominis as a sole parasite, twelve as a double infection and six as a triple infection. Other intestinal parasites were found, Giardia lamblia (16.8%), Entamoeba histolytica (10%), E. coli (6.4%), Chilomastix mesnili (5.6%), Trichomonas hominis (1.2%), and Endolimax nana (0.8%). The helminths were represented by Ascaris lumbricoides (4%), Hymenolepis nana (3.2%), Enterobius vermicularis (1.2%) and Trichocephalus trichiura (0.8%). No doubt, B. hominis should be in mind of parasitologists and physicians when dealing with patients with gastrointestinal troubles.