TY - JOUR AU - Vezir, Sedat AU - Kaya, Filiz AU - Vezir, Emine AU - Karaosmanoğlu, Nermin AU - Adiloğlu, Ali Kudret PY - 2019/10/31 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Evaluation of intestinal parasites in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria in a territory hospital in Turkey JF - The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries JA - J Infect Dev Ctries VL - 13 IS - 10 SE - Original Articles DO - 10.3855/jidc.11552 UR - https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/32084024 SP - 927-932 AB - <p>Introduction: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) which develops without a known stimulation is defined as the occurrence of spontaneous wheals, angioedema or both for longer than six weeks. Infections, autoimmunity, food intolerance and internal parasitic infections are supposed to be underlying causes of CSU. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intestinal parasites in children and adult patients diagnosed as CSU, to determine the frequency of parasites in chronic urticaria, and to compare these patients with healthy demographic control groups.</p><p>Methodology: Seventy six children and 38 adult patients with CSU were examined in terms of parasitic infections. The patients whom parasites were detected received anti-parasitic therapy and the improvements in CSU symptoms were evaluated. Stool samples were examined with direct microscopic examination (native-lugol), stool concentration and trichrome staining methods.</p><p>Results: In pediatric patient group, 18.4% (n = 14) of the stool samples were positive for <em>Blastocystis</em> sp., 2.6% (n = 2), <em>Dientamoeba</em> <em>fragilis</em> and 1.3% (n = 1), <em>Giardia</em> <em>duodenalis</em>. In adult patient group, <em>Blastocystis</em> sp. was detected in 18.4% (n = 7) of the stool samples. Anti-parasitic therapy yielded substantial improvement in urticaria symptoms in 57.1% of pediatric and 60.0% of adult patients.</p><p>Conclusions: <em>Blastocystis</em> sp. and <em>D</em>. <em>fragilis</em> may play a role in chronic urticaria which seriously disrupts the patient's quality of life. Parasitic infections should not be neglected in patients with cutaneous manifestations.</p> ER -