The frequency and distribution of gastrointestinal parasites before and during the COVİD-19 pandemic

Öz

Background: In our study, we aimed to determine the distribution of intestinal parasites detected in patients admitted to our hospital before and during the COVID-19 (Corona virus disease-2019) pandemic. Materials and Methods: Stool samples that came to the Microbiology Laboratory of our hospital in 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) and 2021 (the period of the COVID-19 pandemic) were examined under the light microscope with the native-lugol method after the macroscopic examination to investigate intestinal parasites. Cellophane tape samples taken were Enterobius vermicularis (E. vermicularis) and Taenia spp. evaluated in terms of. Results: Parasites were detected in 1260 (6%) of a total of 20973 samples received in 2019 and in 426 (8.9%) of a total of 4751 samples received in 2021. Parasite positivity in 2021 was found to be significantly higher than in 2019. The rates of Giardia intestinalis (G. intestinalis), Ascaris lumbricoides (A. lumbricoides) and E. vermicularis were significantly higher in 2019 compared to 2021. Entemoeba histolytica/dispar (E. histolytica/dispar) and Entemoeba coli (E. coli) positivity were found to be significantly higher in 2021 than in 2019. The positivity rates in the 0-5 and 6-12 age groups were significantly higher in 2021 compared to 2019. The number of samples coming from the pediatrics and immunology-allergy department was found to be significantly higher in 2021 than in 2019. The number of samples coming from the departments of internal medicine and infectious diseases was found to be significantly higher in 2019 compared to 2021. Conclusions: We think that compliance with personal hygiene rules, social isolation and health education is effective in reducing some of the parasitic infections in the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe that the data obtained can be a guide in the fight against parasitic infections during pandemic periods.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• COVID-19
• Gastrointestinal parasites
• Gaita samples

COVID-19 pandemisi öncesi ve pandemi döneminde gastrointestinal parazitlerin sıklığı ve dağılımı

Öz

Amaç: Çalışmamızda COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease-2019) pandemisi öncesi ve pandemi döneminde, hastanemize başvuran hastalarda saptanan intestinal parazitlerin dağılımını belirlemeyi amaçladık. Materyal ve Metot: Hastanemizin Mikrobiyoloji Laboratuvarına 2019 (COVID-19 pandemi öncesi dönem) ve 2021 (COVID-19 pandemi dönemi) yıllarında gelen gaita örnekleri, intestinal parazitlerin araştırılması için makroskopik muayene sonrası nativ-lugol yöntemiyle ışık mikroskobunda incelendi. Alınan selefon bant örnekleri ise ışık mikroskobunda Enterobius vermicularis (E. vermicularis) ve Taenia spp. açısından değerlendirildi. Bulgular: 2019 yılında gelen toplam 20973 numunenin 1260’ında (%6) ve 2021 yılında gelen toplam 4751 numunenin 426’sında (%8.9) parazit tespit edildi. 2021 yılında parazit pozitifliği 2019 yılına göre anlamlı yüksek bulundu. Giardia intestinalis (G. intestinalis), Ascaris lumbricoides (A. lumbricoides) ve E. vermicularis oranları 2019 yılında 2021 yılına göre anlamlı yüksek idi. Entemoeba histolytica/dispar (E. histolytica/dispar) ve Entemoeba coli (E. coli) pozitifliği 2021 yılında 2019 yılına göre anlamlı yüksek bulundu. 0-5 ve 6-12 yaş gruplarında pozitiflik oranları 2021 yılında 2019 yılına göre anlamlı yüksek idi. Çocuk hastalıkları ve immünoloji-alerji bölümünden gelen örnek sayıları 2021’de 2019 yılına göre anlamlı yüksek bulundu. Dahiliye ve enfeksiyon hastalıkları bölümünden gelen örnek sayıları 2019’da 2021 yılına göre anlamlı yüksek bulundu. Sonuç: Kişisel hijyen kurallarına uyum, sosyal izolasyon ve sağlık eğitiminin, COVID-19 pandemisinde parazit enfeksiyonlarının bir kısmını azaltmada etkili olduğunu düşünüyoruz. Elde edilen verilerin pandemi dönemlerinde parazitik enfeksiyonlarla mücadelede yol gösterici olabileceği kanaatindeyiz.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• COVİD-19
• Gastrointestinal parazitler
• Gaita örneği

Kaynakça

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