TY - JOUR AU - Gulhan, Baris AU - Aydin, Merve AU - Demirkazik, Mehtap AU - Koltas, Ismail Soner AU - Cikman, Aytekin AU - Turkmen, Kultigin AU - Duran, Tugce PY - 2020/12/31 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Subtype distribution and molecular characterization of Blastocystis from hemodialysis patients in Turkey JF - The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries JA - J Infect Dev Ctries VL - 14 IS - 12 SE - Original Articles DO - 10.3855/jidc.12650 UR - https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/33378289 SP - 1448-1454 AB - <p>Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the <em>Blastocystis </em>prevalence and subtypes in hemodialysis patients in Turkey.</p><p>Methodology: Eighty-four patients diagnosed with end-stage renal failure who were undergoing hemodialysis and 20 healthy volunteers were enrolled. <em>Blastocystis</em> presence was investigated by native-Lugol, trichrome staining, PCR using STS primers, and DNA sequencing analysis.</p><p>Results: Among the stool samples from the hemodialysis patients, 9.52% (8/84) were found to be <em>Blastocystis</em>-positive with the native-Lugol and trichrome staining. Seven of the eight <em>Blastocystis</em> isolates were subtyped using STS primers. B<em>lastocystis</em> subtype distribution was as follows: one had ST1, two had ST2, two had ST3, two had ST3+ST6, and one was not subtyped. <em>Blastocystis</em> positivity was detected in two healthy control (2/20, %10), one subject had ST1, and the other was not subtyped. All subtypes identified by PCR were confirmed by the sequencing analysis. In the two samples that had mixed subtypes (ST3+ST6) when using the STS primers, only ST3 was detected in the sequencing analysis. Although some patients have multiple symptoms, the most common symptoms in <em>Blastocystis </em>positive patients were bloating (5/8), diarrhea (4/8), nausea and vomiting (2/8), and gas and weight loss (1/8). Also, only one patient had <em>Giardia intestinalis</em>.</p><p>Conclusions: This was the first study to determine the <em>Blastocystis</em> subtypes in hemodialysis patients. A rare subtype, ST6, was identified in two of the patients. Thus, the ST6 infections were attributable to transmission from poultry infections. The presence of this unusual subtype suggests the need for further extensive studies of hemodialysis patients.</p> ER -