ABSTRACT
To contribute to the knowledge of symptoms and factors associated with the infection by Blastocystis hominis of patients attending the outpatient clinic of the Department of Enfermedades Transmisibles y Dermatológicas (DETD) of the Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia. A prospective case-control study was carried out from January to March 1999, in patients between the ages of 5 to 80 years. The case-patients had a positive stool examination for B. hominis (in the absence of other pathogens such helminths) done at the laboratory of Tropical Medicine. The controls had at least 2 of 3 negative fecal samples of B. hominis, in absence of other pathogens. The presence of B. hominis was examined under direct microscopy (high-power field x 400) and it was rated from 1 plus to 4 plus according to the quantity of parasites present. Epidemiological data, symptomatology and the factors associated with infection in each patient were registered A total of 144 persons (74 cases and 70 controls) matched by age and sex were included in the study. A significant statistical correlation (p < 0.05) was found between the presence of B. hominis and the presence of symptoms (91.9 percent). The predominant symptoms in order of significance (p < 0.05), associated to the infection by B. hominis were: abdominal pain (OR = 3) 1.47 < OR < 6.60, abdominal distention (OR = 2.36) 1.06 < OR < 5.29, urticaria (OR = 3.19) 0.81 < OR < 12.48. The only risk factor found associated with the infection with B. hominis, was the consumption of raw unboiled water (OR = 2.52) 1.01 < OR < 5.83