{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T02:54:03Z","timestamp":1791600843327,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"PeerJ","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,11]],"date-time":"2022-08-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1660176000000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n               <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:p>The study was conducted to observe the prevalence and type of infection caused by intestinal parasites and to compare the techniques that are available for the detection.<\/jats:p>\n            <\/jats:sec>\n            <jats:sec>\n               <jats:title>Method<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:p>A total of 112 stool samples were obtained from study participants, and the laboratory examinations were performed at Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah. One hundred and twelve participants were included in this study.<\/jats:p>\n            <\/jats:sec>\n            <jats:sec>\n               <jats:title>Result<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:p>The color of positive specimens was mainly brown (86.4%). Stool consistency in infected cases was soft in (64%) samples. There was no statistically significant difference with the physical characteristics of the stool (<jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u00a0&gt;\u00a00.05). In total, 59 of the 112 participants were infected with intestinal parasites, representing 52.7%. Different intestinal protozoa parasites were identified in which <jats:italic>Blastocystis hominis<\/jats:italic> (86.4%) was highest. None of the intestinal helminths were detected. Out of the 59 infected cases, single infections were found in (62.7%) samples. The intestinal protozoan parasites in single infections were <jats:italic>B. hominis<\/jats:italic> (78.4%), <jats:italic>Giardia lamblia<\/jats:italic> (8.1%), and (2.7%) from each <jats:italic>Entamoeba histolytica<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Cryptosporidium parvum<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Entamoeba coli<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Endolimax nana<\/jats:italic>, and <jats:italic>Chilomastix mesnili<\/jats:italic>. Microscopy, RDTs, and real-time PCR were used for detection and identification of <jats:italic>G. lamblia<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>E. histolytica<\/jats:italic>, and <jats:italic>C. parvum<\/jats:italic>.<\/jats:p>\n            <\/jats:sec>\n            <jats:sec>\n               <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:p>The study reported a high rate of intestinal parasitic infections, mainly with <jats:italic>B. hominis<\/jats:italic>. There were no statistical differences in parasite detection between the three techniques in detection of the thirteen cases infected with the pathogenic protozoa.<\/jats:p>\n            <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.7717\/peerj.13889","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,11]],"date-time":"2022-08-11T08:33:52Z","timestamp":1660206832000},"page":"e13889","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Prevalence, type of infections and comparative analysis of detection techniques of intestinal parasites in the province of Belgarn, Saudi Arabia"],"prefix":"10.7717","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Abdulrahman S.","family":"Alqarni","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Health Affairs, Sabt Al-Alaya General Hospital, Directorate of Health Affairs, Ministry of Health, Bisha,  Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Majed H.","family":"Wakid","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia"},{"name":"Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah,  Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hattan S.","family":"Gattan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia"},{"name":"Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah,  Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"4443","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.21608\/jesp.2020.88748","article-title":"Evaluation of common microscopic techniques for detection of Blastocystis hominis","volume":"50","author":"Aldahhasi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"8461965","DOI":"10.1155\/2016\/8461965","article-title":"Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection among food handlers in Northwest Iran","volume":"2016","author":"Balarak","year":"2016","journal-title":"Journal of Parasitology Research"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-3","article-title":"Diagnosis of parasitic diseases","author":"CDC","year":"2018"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-4","article-title":"Parasites soil-transmitted helminths","author":"CDC","year":"2020"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-5","article-title":"Transmission of parasitic diseases 2021","author":"CDC","year":"2021"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-6","article-title":"Crypto+Giardia","author":"CerTest","year":"2021"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev.nutr.22.120501.134539","article-title":"Nutritional impact of intestinal helminthiasis during the human life cycle","volume":"22","author":"Crompton","year":"2002","journal-title":"Annual Review of Nutrition"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1097\/00001574-200201000-00003","article-title":"Update on protozoan parasites of the intestine","volume":"18","author":"Davis","year":"2002","journal-title":"Current Opinion in Gastroenterology"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e00025-17","DOI":"10.1128\/CMR.00025-17","article-title":"Practical guidance for clinical microbiology laboratories: laboratory diagnosis of parasites from the gastrointestinal tract","volume":"31","author":"Garcia","year":"2017","journal-title":"Clinical Microbiology Reviews"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-10","first-page":"111","article-title":"Prevalence of intestinal parasites in food handlers of Bandar Abbas, Southern Iran","volume":"47","author":"Heydari-Hengami","year":"2018","journal-title":"Iranian Journal of Public Health"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-11","first-page":"e4894","article-title":"Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infestation among expatriate workers","volume":"11","author":"Hussain","year":"2019","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0004380","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0004380","article-title":"Application of a multiplex quantitative PCR to assess prevalence and intensity of intestinal parasite infections in a controlled clinical trial","volume":"10","author":"Llewellyn","year":"2016","journal-title":"PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"537","DOI":"10.1007\/s15010-015-0778-6","article-title":"Prevalence of intestinal parasite infections and associated clinical symptoms among patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis","volume":"43","author":"Omrani","year":"2015","journal-title":"Infection"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-14","article-title":"Stick Entamoeba\/simple Entamoeba ES","author":"Operon","year":"2018"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"120","DOI":"10.3855\/jidc.9512","article-title":"A cross-sectional analysis of intestinal parasitic infections among the general population in North of Iran","volume":"12","author":"Pagheh","year":"2018","journal-title":"Journal of Infection in Developing Countries"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.4103\/2229-5070.175077","article-title":"Systematic review on Endolimax nana: a less well studied intestinal ameba","volume":"6","author":"Poulsen","year":"2016","journal-title":"Tropical Parasitology"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-17","article-title":"QIAamp\u00ae fast DNA stool mini handbook","author":"QIAamp","year":"2020"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-18","article-title":"QuantiTect\u00ae Probe PCR handbook","author":"QuantiTect","year":"2011"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1186\/1757-4749-6-17","article-title":"Update on the pathogenic potential and treatment options for Blastocystis sp","volume":"6","author":"Roberts","year":"2014","journal-title":"Gut Pathogens"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-20","article-title":"Stainquick trichrome stain","author":"Scientificdevice","year":"2018"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-21","first-page":"83","article-title":"The study of consumed vegetable parasitic infections in Qazvin","volume":"12","author":"Shahnazi","year":"2009","journal-title":"Journal of Inflammatory Disease"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-22","first-page":"78","article-title":"Intestinal parasitic infections among expatriate workers in Al-Madina Al-Munawarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia","volume":"30","author":"Taha","year":"2013","journal-title":"Tropical Biomedicine"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1045","DOI":"10.1007\/s10096-009-0745-1","article-title":"Molecular diagnostics of intestinal parasites in returning travellers","volume":"28","author":"Ten Hove","year":"2009","journal-title":"European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e1001920","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmed.1001920","article-title":"World Health Organization estimates of the global and regional disease burden of 11 foodborne parasitic diseases, 2010: a data synthesis","volume":"12","author":"Torgerson","year":"2015","journal-title":"PLOS Medicine"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mimet.2015.01.016","article-title":"Comparison of four rapid diagnostic tests, ELISA, microscopy and PCR for the detection of Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium spp. and Entamoeba histolytica in feces","volume":"110","author":"Vanden Bossche","year":"2015","journal-title":"Journal of Microbiological Methods"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-26","first-page":"146","article-title":"Distribution of intestinal parasites among food handlers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia","volume":"30","author":"Wakid","year":"2006","journal-title":"Journal of Parasitic Diseases"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e9253","DOI":"10.7759\/cureus.9253","article-title":"Prevalence of enteroparasites among non-Saudis in Bahrah, Saudi Arabia","volume":"12","author":"Wakid","year":"2020","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0166957","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0166957","article-title":"Multiplex real-time PCR assay targeting eight parasites customized to the Korean population: potential use for detection in diarrheal stool samples from gastroenteritis patients","volume":"11","author":"Won","year":"2016","journal-title":"PLOS ONE"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-29","article-title":"Soil-transmitted helminth infections 2020","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2020"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-30","article-title":"Neglected tropical diseases","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2020"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"30","DOI":"10.1186\/s40168-019-0644-3","article-title":"Interactions between a pathogenic Blastocystis subtype and gut microbiota: in vitro and in vivo studies","volume":"7","author":"Yason","year":"2019","journal-title":"Microbiome"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6669734","DOI":"10.1155\/2021\/6669734","article-title":"Prevalence and associated factors of intestinal parasitic infections among food handlers in Mettu town, Southwest Ethiopia","volume":"2021","author":"Yeshanew","year":"2021","journal-title":"Journal of Tropical Medicine"},{"key":"10.7717\/peerj.13889\/ref-33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"266","DOI":"10.4103\/0300-1652.93802","article-title":"Prevalence of intestinal parasites and bacteria among food handlers in a tertiary care hospital","volume":"52","author":"Zaglool","year":"2011","journal-title":"Nigerian Medical Journal"}],"container-title":["PeerJ"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/peerj.com\/articles\/13889.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/peerj.com\/articles\/13889.xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/peerj.com\/articles\/13889.html","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/peerj.com\/articles\/13889.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,11]],"date-time":"2022-08-11T08:34:02Z","timestamp":1660206842000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/peerj.com\/articles\/13889"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,11]]},"references-count":33,"alternative-id":["10.7717\/peerj.13889"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7717\/peerj.13889","archive":["CLOCKSS","LOCKSS","Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["2167-8359"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2167-8359","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,11]]},"article-number":"e13889"}}