Intestinal parasites in children and adults with and without abdominal discomfort from the Kathmandu area of Nepal.

ABSTRACT

The present study on intestinal parasites from the Kathmandu area of Nepal found that in subjectively healthy children (HC) and adults (HA) the total parasite load was 28.1% and 38.8%, respectively, whereas children (ADC) and adults (ADA) with abdominal discomfort had a load of 62.7% and 67.8%. The prevalence of nematodes in the 4 groups was significantly higher in those with abdominal discomfort, particularly of Hookworm, Enterobius, and Ascaris. Hymenolepis nana was the most common tapeworm, and also with the highest incidence in patients with abdominal complaints. Taenia solium and T. saginata were only found in the two adult groups, but with low prevalence rates. The highest incidence of Cryptosporidium was found in both groups with abdominal discomfort, notably among children. No "healthy" carriers were found among the adults, whereas the prevalence of "healthy" carriers among children corresponded to that of sick adults. The presence of Giardia was highest among the sick children, many "healthy" carriers among both children and adults were noted. E. histolytica and E. dispar had a surprisingly low prevalence in all 4 groups. In "healthy" children the parasite was twice as common than in sick, supporting earlier findings of morphologically identical species with and without pathogenicity. "Healthy" adults had the lowest prevalence and sick adults the highest in the 4 groups studies. Blastocystis hominis was most common among adults with abdominal complaints (2.8%). Trichomonas was also more common in this group, in which of 34 positive specimen, 28 were from women. In "healthy" children the prevalence of mixed parasite infection was 2.1%, in "healthy" adults more than 7%, while in sick children and adults the prevalence was 13.3% and 11.5%, respectively.