Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infection in Cancer, Organ Transplant and Primary Immunodeficiency Patients in Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background:Intestinal parasitic infection in immunodeficient patients especially those with impaired cellular immunity, like neoplasia, renal or heart transplant needs careful consideration. The objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasites in different group of patients including cancer patients; organ transplants recipients, and primary immunodeficiency patients.Methods:Stool samples from 190 patients including 80 patients with Primary Immunodeficiency, 85 cancer patients and 25 organ transplant recipients were collected; a direct examination with Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and formalin ether concentration was performed. The DNA was extracted from parasitologically confirmed patients and nested PCR and sequencing was performed and new obtained sequences of Cryptosporidium parvum and Enterocytozoon bieneusi were compared with deposited ones. Results:In general, the prevalence of parasites was 26/80 (32.5%) in primary immunodeficiency, 22/85(25.9%) in cancer group, and 7/25 (28%) in organ transplant. The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in primary immunodeficiency patients were Blastocystis hominis 13 (16.2%), Giardia lamblia 10 (12.5%), Cryptosporidium 1(1.2%), Chilomastix mesnilii 1 (1.2%), Dientamoeba fragilis 1(1.2%). Of 25 organ transplants, 6 (24%) Cryptosporidium sp were found, all of which were confirmed as Cryptosporidium parvum and one case of Microspora in a heart transplant recipient was confirmed as Enterocytozoon bieneusi by PCR sequencing. The predominant intestinal parasitic infection in cancer patients was 19 (22.3%) Blastocystis hominis followed by two (2.3%) Giardia lamblia and one Dientamoeba fragilis 1 (1.1%).Conclusion:The high rate of infection with Blastocystis hominis was found in cancer patients especially colorectal cancer patients, so careful consideration should be given by physicians. Cryptosporidium sp was found to be the major cause of parasitic intestinal infection in patients with organ transplant compared to primary immunodeficiency patients; so transplant recipients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy should be considered as a risk group for acquiring microsporidiosis and Cryptosporidium infection.

Intestinal Protozoan Infections in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy in Shahrekord the Central Southwest of Iran in 2018

“…However, the results of several studies conducted in Iran showed that the prevalence of intestinal parasite infections among cancer patients under chemotherapy varies from 4.16% to 35.9%. 5,18,[24][25][26][27][28][29] On the other hand, the current widespread use of chemotherapy has altered the pattern of some parasitic infections so as they have become one of the most important causes of the global risk of health and probably the cause of an increase in the rate of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. 30,31 This crosssectional descriptive study assessed the epidemiological state of intestinal parasitic infections among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in Shahrekord, Iran.…”

Anti-Blastocystis Activity In Vitro of Egyptian Herbal Extracts (Family: Asteraceae) with Emphasis on Artemisia judaica

“…Other extra intestinal diseases, such as urticaria, chronic angioedema, anaemia, chronic liver disease and reactive arthritis have also been reported to be potentially associated with Blastocystis infection [14,15,16,17,18]. Blastocystis has also been reported to have an opportunistic role in immunocompromised individuals (cancer, organ transplant and human immunodeficiency virus patients) [19,20].…”

Intestinal Parasites Infection in Children with Cancer in Ahvaz, Southwest Iran

“…They also showed that Cryptosporidium spp. was the primary cause of parasitic intestinal infection in patients with organ transplant (20%) compared to primary immunodeficiency patients (1.25%) [ 26 ]. As the previous studies have shown, our results have also shown that children affected by malignancies and under treatment by chemotherapy are highly prone to parasitic infections, and it could be due to their effects on immunity mechanisms that include a mucosal membrane, skin, quantitative and qualitative defect of granulocytes, and macrophages.…”