Identification of blastocystis hominis in patients with irritable bowel syndrome using microscopy and culture compared to PCR

ABSTRACT

There is much controversy regarding the pathogenicity of B. hominis especially in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Detection of B. hominis in patients with irritable bowel syndrome using different diagnostic methods; microscopy, culture and PCR. The second objective is to compare between microscopy and culture using PCR as Gold Standard. Stool samples from 83 patients with irritable bowel syndrome were subjected to microscopic examination, culture on egg diphasic medium and PCR amplification using primers based on small subunit ribosomal DNA, for diagnosis of B. hominis infection. Results: Out of 83 samples, 25 [30.1%] were found positive for B. hominis by microscopy, 34 [41%] culture and 37 [44.6%] using PCR. The sensitivity of microscopy and culture versus PCR was 62.2% d 89.2%, respectively. The specificity of microscopy and culture versus PCR was 95.7% and 97.8%, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy for microscopy and culture was 83.1% and 94% respectively. Culture proved to be a more sensitive and specific tool for detection of B. hominis than microscopy