Oh my aching gut: irritable bowel syndrome, Blastocystis, and asymptomatic infection

Abstract

Blastocystis is a prevalent enteric protozoan that infects a variety of vertebrates. Infection with Blastocystis in humans has been associated with abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, skin rash, and other symptoms. Researchers using different methods and examining different patient groups have reported asymptomatic infection, acute symptomatic infection, and chronic symptomatic infection. The variation in accounts has lead to disagreements concerning the role of Blastocystis in human disease, and the importance of treating it. A better understanding of the number of species of Blastocystis that can infect humans, along with realization of the limitations of the existing clinical laboratory diagnostic techniques may account for much of the disagreement. The possibility that disagreement was caused by the emergence of particular pathogenic variants of Blastocystis is discussed, along with the potential role of Blastocystis infection in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Findings are discussed concerning the role of protease-activated receptor-2 in enteric disease which may account for the presence of abdominal pain and diffuse symptoms in Blastocystis infection, even in the absence of fever and endoscopic findings. The availability of better diagnostic techniques and treatments for Blastocystis infection may be of value in understanding chronic gastrointestinal illness of unknown etiology.

Blastocystis subtypes in irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease in Ankara, Turkey

“…Host genetic factors that can enhance the production of infection-fighting proteins, such as TNF-α may lead to the expression of symptoms in E. histolytica infection (Stanley 2003). A similar pattern is observed in IBS, in which patients who produce (Boorom et al 2008). …”

“…These results are similar to those reported in a study of a French population, which found most human infections to be associated with Blastocystis subtypes 1-3 (L Souppart et al 2009, unpublished observations). Zoonotic subtypes, such as those found in rats and wild birds (subtypes 4, 6, 7), have not been commonly found in patients with chronic infections (Boorom et al 2008). A prior study has found that subtype 2 is more frequently associated with asymptomatic infection (Dogruman-Al et al 2008).…”

“…Traditionally, Blastocystis isolates from humans have been identified as Blastocystis hominis, however phylogenetic analysis has suggested that multiple subtypes of Blastocystis can infect humans and that they possess biomedically relevant differences (Boorom et al 2008). The availability of data on the subtypes of Blastocystis found in these patient groups would be of interest in understanding the significance of Blastocystis infection in chronic illness.…”

Frecuencia y fuentes de Blastocystis sp. en niños urbanos de 0 a 5 años de hogares infantiles del estado del municipio de Calarcá, Colombia

“…En los niños es más frecuente asociarlo con diarrea aguda y crónica, dolor y distensión abdominal (1,9). Existe evidencia sobre la mejoría de estos síntomas después del tratamiento con nitroimidazoles (5,10).…”

Mycobiota: Micro-Eukaryotes Inhabiting Our Body as Commensals or Opportunistic Pathogens

“…Fungal eukaryotes have been implicated as causative agents of diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS) (Blasto-cystis), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) (fungi), and "leaky gut" syndrome (Candida) [16][17][18]. These diseases, which have become prevalent in western populations, are due to complex changes in the microbial community.…”