[Screening study of changes which have occurred in the prevalence of intestinal parasites species in Syria between 2006-2011]

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study was to evaluate the changes which have occurred in the prevalence of intestinal parasites species in Syria between 2006-2011. This study was carried on in seven cities in Syria on primary school students in the years 2006-2011. The number of student's fecal samples examined was 4152 from seven Syrian areas included Damascus and its countryside, Idlib and countryside, countryside of Daraa, Kalamoon, Hama and countryside, countryside of Alraqa and countryside of Tartous. The results showed that there were 1290 stool samples with positive parasites [31.07%], 481 samples of them have pathogenic human's parasites [37.28%]. The pathogenic parasites which have been seen in this study according to their prevalence rate were as follows Protozoa Giardia lamblia 8.48%, Chilomastix mesnili 1.06%, Entamoeba histolytica 0.14%. Helminthes Hymenolepis nana 1.20%, Enterobius vermicularis 0.43%, Strongyloides stercoralis 0.17%, Trichuris trichuria 0.05%, and Ascaris 0.05%. Where the non pathogenic parasite which have been seen in this study according to their prevalence rate were as follows Blastocystis hominis 13.15%, Entamoeba coli 5.73% and Iodamoeba butschili 0.60%. It was observed that Giardia lamblia and Hymenolepis nana which regarded as pathogenic parasites were the most prevalent in Syria, bt the other types of parasites were very rare