The Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic and Fungal Agents in He-modialysis Patients in Isfahan

Patients with chronic renal failure and hemodialysis, due to leukocyte dysfunction and reduced number, impaired immunological responses such as phagocytosis and chemotaxi and also, complement dysfunction are susceptible to opportunistic infections. In the field of intestinal parasitic and fungal infections in patients on hemodialysis are few studies and with the same goal, this study was conducted. 330 stool samples from hemodialysis patients with chronic renal failure were collected. After recording the patient profile in questionnaire, different tets with specific laboratory methods was performed on each sample. The prevalence of intestinal parasites and fungi in hemodialysis patients were 23.9 and 36.1 percent, respectively. Endolymax Nana (6.4 percent) and Geotricum Candidom (10.9 percent) were the most common fungi and parasite in dialysis patients. The highest rate of intestinal parasites and fungi were reported in the age groups of 65-51 years (29.7 percent) and over 65 (60.3 percent), respectively. Between age and prevalence of intestinal parasites and fungi was statistically relationship (P= 0.002 and P = 0.004, respectively). There was no significant relationship between gender and the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections (P = 0.184), while the relation of incidence of fungal infections and gender was significant (P = 0.028). There was significant relationship between the prevalence of intestinal parasitic and fungal infections and the duration of dialysis and health status (P < 0.05) but with Location subjects no significant relationship was found (P > 0.05). The most common digestive symptom was constipation and then, abdominal bloating was reported. Considering that the prevalence of intestinal parasitic and fungal infections in patients undergoing hemodialysis is high, general physisians and specialists recommend that before different drugs prescribed, the patient parasitic and fungal infections of the intestines should be evaluated. Furthermore, the microscopic examination of stool culture and component tests of patients with chronic renal failure undergoing kidney transplantation should be considered.