ABSTRACT
Blastocystis hominis is found in about 25 percent of feces in normal asymptomatic people. Its pathogenic role is still discussed. A prospective study was perfomed to determine the prevalence Gt B. hominis infection in schoolchildren from Bolivar City. We evaluated 446 children, between five and fourteen years old, both sexes, using direct exanúnation of feces and Willis' Method. They were also evaluated clinically. Results showed that B. hominis had a prevalence of 16.8 percent. We did not find a statistically significant association between sex (P > 0.05) or age and infection with B. hominis (x2 = 1.94 g.1.= 4). In 39 schoolchildren (52.0 percent) we identified other parasites along with B. hominis, the most frequent was Trichuris trichiura as helnúnth and Giardia lamblia as protozoan. We observed B. hominis alone in 36 cases (48.0 percent). There was a spectrum of clinical symptoms in 41 (54.7 percent) of all children evaluated. Diarrhea was the most frequently clinical manifestation observed. Other studies are necessary to determine clinical relevance of B. hominis in school population in Bolivar City