Prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia infection among patients attending Heet Hospital in Al-Anbar, Iraq

Abstract

This study was designed to estimate the spread of Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia and study the age, sex and months effect in the infection rate. 398 stool samples (215 males and 183 females) were collected from both children and adults attending to Heet General Hospital, and some of private laboratories affiliated to Heet. The total infection rate was 64.3%. Entamoeba histolytica infection rate was higher (56.7%) than Giardia lamblia infection (7.5%). Regarding the seasonal effect on the infection rate, E. histolytica highest rate was observed in August (14.6%) and the lower rate was in September (9%).  And the age related infections appear to be mostly in ages older than 35 years significantly (26.63%) followed by ages younger than 15 years (16.83%). In comparison, the infection could be considered non gender specific with a shallow elevation in males (29.4%) over the rate in females (27.3%). Regarding Giardia lamblia, the prevalence was considered significantly lower. The seasonal related infection considered much greater in May and June (2%) compared to July, August, September (125%,1.25%,1%) respectively. With convergent rate of infection retention among different ages or between females (3.2%) and males (4.3%).