Study of Intestinal Protozoan Parasites in Rural Inhabitants of Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran

Intestinal parasites of humans are important health problems of most communities, especially those situated in tropical and subtropical areas. This study was carried out in rural population of Mazandaran Province, northern Iran, during 2004-2005, with the purpose of achieving a better understanding of the distribution of intestinal protozoan parasites in this province. A total of 855 stool specimens were collected randomly from rural inhabitants (384 males and 471 females) and examined by the formalin-ethyl-acetate concentration technique. In addition, a modified version of the Ziehl-Neelsen tech­nique was used for the staining of Cryptosporidium and other intestinal coccidian parasites. The general prevalence of intestinal protozoans was found as 25%. The prevalence of every intestinal protozoan parasite was as follows: Giardia lamblia (10.2%), Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (1.2%), Dientamoeba fragilis (1.1%), Blastocystis hominis (9.8%), Entamoeba coli (5%), Endolimax nana (0.7%), Iodamoeba butschlii (1.3%), and Entamoeba hartmani (0.4%). The present study revealed that the prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasites among rural inhabitants of Ma­zandaran Province are still so high that implies performing special control measures.