مؤسسة الشرق الأوسط للنشر العلمي
عادةً ما يتم الرد في غضون خمس دقائق
Abstract
Background: This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia in Kuwait and variations in infection rates by season. Methods: In total, 6423 samples were collected from five general hospitals and one specialised hospital in Kuwait from January 2018 to July 2019. Samples were examined using direct saline smears and Lugol’s iodine staining. Samples in which parasites were not detected using wet mounts were further examined using a trichrome staining concentration technique. Results: Of the 115 positive cases of intestinal parasites (1.79%), G. lamblia was the most prevalent, detected in 69 samples (60%), followed by E. histolytica in 38 samples (33%), Iodamoeba buetschlii in four samples (3.5%), Hymenolepis nana in two samples (1.7%) and Entamoeba coli in two samples (1.7%). The prevalence of intestinal protozoa changed according to season, with higher infection rates in spring and summer (61 infections) (57%) than in autumn and winter (46 infections) (43%). Conclusion: Low prevalence of E. histolytica and G. lamblia parasitic infection in Kuwait is an indicator of the high level of health services provided to the general population. However, there remains room for further development and improvement of strategies aimed at protecting public health