[Intestinal parasitosis among non-permanent resident students in Tunisia: a review of 23 years of monitoring in the department of Parasitology-mycology at the Rabta hospital of Tunis]

Background: In order to fight digestive parasitism in Tunisia, a national program of surveillance of non-permanent resident students in Tunisia has been found to detect these parasitosis in this target population

Objective: To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitosis among non-permanent resident students in Tunisia, to identify the different parasitic species founded and to show the interest of this screening

Methods:During a period of 23 years [1990-2012], 7386 parasitological examinations of stools has been made among students essentially from or had visited tropical Africa, Maghreb and Middle-East, at the laboratory of Parasitology-Mycology at the Rabta Hospital of Tunis

Results: The prevalence of intestinal parasitism found was 34.45% [i.e. 2545 infested students]. Among the protozoa that have been isolated in the majority of cases [78.75%], amoebae were most frequently found [86.4%] represented mainly by Entamoeba coli and Endolimax nanus in respectively, 25.62 and 23.33% of parasites isolated; while Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, only pathogenic Amoeba was found in 8.05% of the total of parasites isolated. Regarding helminths, found in 21.25% of parasites isolated, Ankylostome was predominant [34.5%] represented by the species of Necator americanus. A single case of Ancylostoma duodenale has been isolated. Among the identified parasite species, 38.7% were known parasitic pathogens for humans

Conclusions: These results note the interest of the control of the non-permanent resident students in Tunisia. The precocious tracking and treatment of affected subjects permits to avoid the introduction and the dissemination of parasites already rare and virulent strains in our country

[Risk factors for toxoplasma gondii and immune status of pregnant women: cause and effect?]

Human infection with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is found world-wide. The differences in prevalence across the countries may be ascribed to variations in hygiene and eating habits. To identify preventable risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnancy through a transversal study achieved in the laboratory of Parasitology Mycology of Rabta including all pregnant women referred to the laboratory between March 2010 and February 2011 to serological testing for toxoplasmosis. The age, the stage of the current pregnancy and exposures to potential risk factors associated with Toxoplasma infection were collected by a questionnaire. An analysis with SPSS and chi-square was used to analyse exposure frequencies for each risk factor variable. A total of 2351 women were included. The median age of the pregnany women was 29.4 years [range, 16 - 48 years]. In all, 47.7% of them were seropositive. Seropositivity for toxoplasmosis was significantly associated with eating undercooked meat [p = 0.002] and eating miswashed vegetables [p = 0.003]. However, the other factors [contact with cats, cleaning the cat litter box, washing the hands after preparation of raw meat, contact with the ground] were found to be independently associated with seropositivity toxoplasmosis. In Tunisia, there is still no prevention program toxoplasmosis well structured. Health education on avoidance of maternal infection is an important aspect of any program for prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis