Blastocystis Hominis: Response to treatment in infected children under 7 years of age; a brief report

Infectivity with Blastocystis-hominis is frequently reported in people of different ages in recent years. Lack of accurate laboratory diagnosis and lack of enough medical knowledge about the possible pathogenesis of this enteric protozoan parasite cause prolonged infections and persistence of related gastrointestinal symptoms in infected people. In the present study the therapeutic effect of metronidazole has evaluated on infected symptomatic children in Shahrood kindergartens.
Twenty children with B.hominis infection under 7 years of age with gastrointestinal symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhea, anorexia, bloating, nausea-vomiting were evaluated. These children were received 30-40 mg/kg P.O. metronidazole daily (in three doses) for 7 days and their recovery progress was evaluated. The parasitemia was assessed before and post treatment in treated and also in 7 B.hominis infected but symptomless children.
Abdominal pain and diarrhea were recovered in all treated children (20/20 (100%)) after administration of metronidazole, whereas other symptoms including anorexia, flatulence, and nausea-vomiting were still observed in almost half of them. After treatment, B.hominis was not observed in the stool of 18 patients, while it was still found in two other children. Analysis of parasitemia has shown significant correlation between the number of symptomatic children and higher level of parasitemia (P =0.001).
The results of the present study showed that metronidazole can reduce B.homonis infection and related clinical symptoms in children less than 7 years of age. Therefore, it is recommended that physician and laboratory personnel pay more attention to the improvement of the quality of laboratory and clinical diagnosis of these protozoa. Application of therapeutic measures is also recommended in symptomatic and persistent cases.