Intestinal parasitosis among non-permanent resident students in tunisia: a review of 23 years of monitoring in the department of Parasitology-mycology at the rabta hospital of tunis

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.main##

Kalthoum Dridi
Najla Fakhfakh
Sleh Belhadj
Emira Kaouech
Kalthoum Kallel
Emna Chaker

Abstract

SUMMARY
Background: In order to fight digestive parasitism in Tunisia, a national program of surveillance of non-permanent resident students in Tunisia has been found to detect these parasitosis in this target population.
Objective: To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitosis among non-permanent resident students in Tunisia, to identify the different parasitic species founded and to show the interest of this screening.
Methods: During a period of 23 years (1990-2012), 7386 parasitological examinations of stools has been made among students essentially from or had visited tropical Africa, Maghreb and Middle-East, at the laboratory of Parasitology-Mycology at the Rabta Hospital of Tunis.
Results: The prevalence of intestinal parasitism found was 34.45% (i.e. 2545 infested students). Among the protozoa that have been isolated in the majority of cases (78.75%), amoebae were most frequently found (86.4%) represented mainly by Entamoeba coli and Endolimax nanus in respectively, 25.62 and 23.33% of parasites isolated; while Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, only pathogenic Amoeba was found in 8.05% of the total of parasites isolated. Regarding helminths, found in 21.25% of parasites isolated, Ankylostome was predominant (34.5%) represented by the species of Necator americanus. A single case of Ancylostom duodenale has been isolated. Among the identified parasite species, 38.7% were known parasitic pathogens for humans.
Conclusions: These results note the interest of the control of the non-permanent resident students in Tunisia. The precocious tracking and treatment of affected subjects permits to avoid the introduction and the dissemination of parasites already rare and virulent strains in our country.

 

Keywords:

Intestinal parasitosis, students, Tunisia, tracking

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.details##

References

  1. Hammami N, Chaker E, Belhadj S, et al. Les parasitoses digestives chez les étudiants non-résidents en Tunisie. Prévalence et intérêt du contrôle systématique. Essaydali 1994; 53: 37-9.
  2. Chaker E, Latiri Z, Gargouri S, et al. Les parasitoses chez les étudiants non-résidents en Tunisie: Intérêt des examens systématiques. Maghreb Med 1991; 242: 36-40.
  3. Siala E, Aoun K, Zallagua N, et al. Intérêt du dépistage des parasitoses digestives et urinaires chez les étudiants non-résidents permanents en Tunisie. Arch Inst Pasteur Tunis 2003; 80: 29-33.
  4. Trabelsi S, Bouchakoua M, Aouinet A, et al. Ya-t-il un changement de la prévalence des parasitoses intestinales et urinaires chez les étudiants non-résidents permanents en Tunisie. Tun Med 2012; 90: 530-2.
  5. Ouermi D, Karou DS, Ouattara I, et al. Prévalence des parasites intestinaux de 1991 à 2010 au centre médical Saint-Camille de Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). Med Sante Trop 2012; 22: 40-4
  6. Buchy P. Les parasitoses digestives dans la région de Mahajanga, Côte Ouest de Madagascar. Bull Soc Pathol Exot 2003; 96: 41-5.
  7. Leger N, Danis M. Amibes et amibiases. Encycl Med Chir 1995; 8-500- A-10.
  8. Bouratbine A, Maamouri N, Ben Abdallah R, et al. Données épidémiologiques, cliniques et parasitologiques concernant l'amibiase intestinale dans le nord de la Tunisie. Tun Med 2003; 81: 318-22.
  9. [9] Fathallah A, Saghrouni F, Madani B, et al. Digestive parasitism in Sousse area. Results of 16 years retrospective study, Tunis Med 2004; 82 : 335-43.
  10. Cheikhrouhou F, Trabelsi H, Sellami H, et al. Parasitoses intestinales dans la région de Sfax (sud tunisien). Rev Tun Infectiol 2009; 3: 14-8.
  11. Kallel K, Gorci M, Kaouech E, et al. Confirmation par l'amplification génique de l'existence en Tunisie de deux espèces: Entamoeba histolytica et Entamoeba dispar. Tun Med 2007; 85: 212-5.