Prevalence and Clinical Manifestations of Giardia intestinalis and Other Intestinal Parasites in Children and Adults in Algeria

Abstract

Giardia intestinalis is one of the most common causes of parasite-induced diarrhea, abdominal pain, flatulence, and malabsorption. Yet, data on the epidemiology of G. intestinalis infections in North Africa are limited. The purpose of this study was to carry out a retrospective survey on the level of intestinal parasitism with a particular emphasis on G. intestinalis in children and adults in Algiers, Algeria. A total of 2,054 individuals from outpatient clinics or hospitalized at Beni-Messous University Hospital of Algiers undergoing stool microscopy for ova and parasites were included. The overall parasite infection rate was 28%. In the 567 parasite-positive samples, Blastocystis was found most frequently (57.3%), followed in frequency by Endolimax nana (41.0%), Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (19.6%), G. intestinalis (17.1%), Entamoeba coli (13.9%), Chilomastix mesnili (1.0%), Iodamoeba b ütschlii (0.7%), Entamoeba hartmanni (0.5%), and Cryptosporidium spp. (0.2%). Intestinal parasites were generally more common in adults than in children, except for Giardia, which was more common in children (P = 0.0001). Giardia infection was independent of gender (P = 0.94). Compared with other intestinal parasitic infections, clinical manifestations, such as abdominal pain (P = 0.28) and diarrhea (P = 0.82), were found not to be significantly linked to Giardia infection. In conclusion, G. intestinalis is common in individuals referred to the University Hospital of Beni-Messous with digestive symptoms, particularly so in children. However, in our study, intestinal symptoms appeared not to be more linked to Giardia than to other intestinal parasites.

Prevalence and risk factors of intestinal protozoan infection among symptomatic and asymptomatic populations in rural and urban areas of southern Algeria

“…In our study the prevalence of G. intestinalis was significantly higher in symptomatic patients, similar finding having been found previously in west and north Algeria [ 17 , 19 ]. In our study we recorded a high prevalence of G. intestinalis in spring and summer in symptomatic population, a result that is consistent with earlier studies that have observed a seasonal pattern of giardiasis peaking in mid-summer and late winter, as for example in a study of Egyptian children [ 39 ] and another reporting high prevalence in summer and fall in Iran [ 40 ].…”

“…and one case of T. trichiura . This finding is in agreement with earlier studies conducted in Algeria [ 17 – 19 ], in North Africa [ 9 , 24 , 25 ] and in Europe [ 26 , 27 ] but differs from studies carried out further south in Africa and elsewhere in the tropics, in which soil-transmitted helminthiasis have been reported to be the dominant parasites [ 14 , 28 ].…”

“…Risk factors according to the demographic, spatio-temporal and behavioral were evaluated. A couple of previous studies from North Algeria have reported on prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection among symptomatic and asymptomatic (combined) patients, 27.6% in Algiers [ 18 ] and 60.61% in Blida [ 19 ]. Similar studies have been conducted also in neighbouring countries, 26.6% in Tunisia [ 24 ] and 14.15% in Morocco [ 25 ].…”

“…In Algeria, due to diversity in the socioeconomic status, and variation in geographic location, sanitary/hygiene and cultural factors of different communities, wide ranges of prevalence of intestinal parasites have been reported to-date (19.96% to 60.61%) in symptomatic and asymptomatic populations [ 17 – 19 ]. However, the implementation of appropriate control measures is dependent on precise local knowledge of the risk factors for intestinal parasitic infections and data on the prevalence of locally prevalent intestinal parasites is crucial in this context.…”

Molecular Characterization of Giardia duodenalis in Children and Adults Sampled in Algeria

“…All samples were screened by real-time PCR for Giardia (see below). Some of the samples (n = 22) used in the present study were also used in our recent study describing the prevalence of Giardia and various parasites in Algerian children and adults [25] (manuscript accepted for publication).…”