Intestinal Parasites in the Diabetic Patient

Abstract

Aourarh S, Skali H, Abainou L, Baizri, El Mezouari E and Moutaj R

Objective: To evaluate the risk of intestinal parasite infection in diabetic patients compared to healthy people.

Materials and Methods: This is a prospective case-type study including 50 healthy consultant patients and 50 diabetic patients at the Avicenna Military Hospital of Marrakech. The study takes place within the Department of Parasitology - Mycology of the Avicenna Military Hospital of Marrakech in collaboration with the endocrinology department of the same hospital. The study subjects are divided into two groups, one group includes patients with DS who were randomly selected from those followed for diabetes registered and one control group selected and matched with the DS Group for age and sex, the duration of study is two months from 01/06/2018 to 01/09/2018. Three samples are included and obtained from patients after the complete explanation of the process for them and then collected at the parasitology laboratory. For each coprological sample, we performed a parasitological examination of the stool in the fresh state and after Lugol staining. A concentration by Bailenger technique and a Ziehl-Neelsen stain modified with a centrifugation pellet was carried out.

Results: The study group consisted of 50 diabetic patients (24 men and 26 women) and 50 control subjects (28 men and 22 women) who were not affected. Parasite infection rate was significantly higher in patients with DM 48% than in controls 10% (P <0.001). The distribution of risk factors in the two groups was not different. In our study, the most frequently found species was Blastocystis hominis (21 cases), followed by Entamoeba histolytica / Dispar (2cas) and Entamoeba coli (2cases). Only the level of Blastocystis hominis was significantly different between the two groups 42% for DM and 4% for control patients with P <0.050. Infection with two species was observed in a single patient with DM who had Entamoeba coli and Blastocystis hominis.

Conclusion: Diabetic patients are at greater risk of developing parasitic infections than the normal population, and Blastocystis hominis is specifically an important opportunist in the gastrointestinal tract responsible for parasitic infections in diabetic patients.

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