Background: INTESTINAL PARASITES are among the most common heath problems in most of the countries. Since it could be asymptomatic and also with respect to the role of environmental factors in this regard, the present study was conducted in Iran in the form of a national survey "health and disease" to determine the prevalence of INTESTINAL PARASITES.Materials and methods: It was a cross sectional study. 1097 urban clusters (8776 families) and 590 rural clusters (4720 families) were selected through a random sampling. Stool exam was performed for subjects aged 2 years or above and the following INTESTINAL PARASITES were examined: ascaris, giardia, entamoeba hystolitica, ancylostoma, taenia, tricocephal, etc. Then, the role of sex, age and site of infection was determined.Results: Of 53995 samples, 45128 samples were studies among which 45.8% were for males and 61% belonged to urban residents. Totally, 19.3% of the samples were infected where the infection rate was 19.7% in males and 19.1% in females. Giardia (10.9%) and ascaris (1.5%) were the most common protozoa and helminthes, respectively. Infection was revealed in 25.5% of subjects aged <25 years and 11.6% of subjects aged >70 years (p<0.000). Urban residents have lesser infectious disease Assistant professor, compared to rural residents (16.4% vs. 24.3%, p<0.000).Conclusion: INTESTINAL infection is quite common in Iran. With respect to its known side effects, the true etiology should be specified and preventive and therapeutic approaches should be considered.

Background: For a long time, INTESTINAL parasite infections are among the major problems of public health in Iran. Our aim was epidemiological studies on the frequency of INTESTINAL PARASITES in patients referred to three hospitals in Tehran during 2007-2008.Methods: During 2007-2008, by simple random selection, 1000 stool samples were collected from Milad, Hazrat-e-Rasoul and Shahid Fahmideh hospitals in Tehran, Iran. We examined the samples using direct smear, formol-ethyl acetate concentration, Agar-plate culture and Ziehl- Neelsen staining technique.Results: The frequency of INTESTINAL PARASITES were: Blastocystis hominis 12.8%, Giardia lamblia 2.5%, Entamoeba coli 4.8%, Iodamoeba butschlli 0.9%, unknown 4 nuclei cysts 0.4%, Endolimax nana 3.2%, Chilomastix mesnili 0.4%, Strongyloides stercoralis %0.1, Hymenolepis nana 0.2% and Taenia saginata 0.2%. Coccidian PARASITES were not found. Results show that infection with INTESTINAL PARASITES does not statistically significant according to sex and age.Conclusion: The INTESTINAL PARASITES, especially helminthic infections have been decreased during recent years.

INTESTINAL parasitosis has been a major public health problem in Iran. It is necessary to evaluate an up-date data in this regard to be used by local authorities. Serum IgE determinations and coproparasitological analyses were conducted on 1200 individuals in city of Ghaemshahr, Mazandaran province, northern Iran. A total of 1200 subjects were taken stool samples for three days consecutively. Two hundred and ninety seven cases (24.7%0) were positive for parasitic diseases. The age group of 8-15 years old encompassed the highest rate of infection which showed a significant difference with the other groups (P< 0.01). No significant difference was detected between males and females as to the rate of infection based on the Chi-squared test (14.2% vs. 10.6%), but a significant difference was seen between infection rate and cases education (P<0.01). An about 5-fold elevation in serum IgE level was demonstrated. Intervention programs including health education and environmental sanitation are recommended.

Background and Aim: INTESTINAL PARASITES cause significant morbidity and mortality and are considered by the World Health Organization as a public health problem of global importance. These agents are estimated to infect more than three billion people worldwide. In Iran, thanks to long-time efforts by the national health system (including environmental sanitation and public education campaigns), the frequency of the most INTESTINAL parasitic infections has significantly declined in the recent decades. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of INTESTINAL PARASITES in a highrisk occupational group, namely the municipal workers in the city of Esfahan.Materials and Methods: A survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of INTESTINAL parasitic infections among municipal workers in several districts of Esfahan. Specimens were placed into fecal pots, labeled and kept cool before being transported to the Health Research Center Laboratory, affiliated to the School of Public Health & Institute for Public Health Research in Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The technique used for identifying infections was stool concentration by formalin & ether. All the slides were carefully studied using light microscopy with x10, x 40, and x100 magnification.Results: The study results revealed that 24.6% of the workers harbored at least one parasitic species. The highest prevalence (36%) belonged to Giardia lamblia. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most common helminthic parasite (12.4%), followed by Hymenolepis nana (1.2%). The most common non-pathogenic protozoal species was Entamoeba coli (21.7%).Conclusion: Infection with soil PARASITES is dependent on environmental conditions that allow PARASITES to complete their life cycle. Socioeconomic and cultural factors are important for the appearance and spread of INTESTINAL PARASITES in communities where sanitary conditions and infrastructure are inadequate. However, soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) used to be prevalent throughout the country, especially in urban and rural population of the Esfahan Province. We investigated the prevalence of INTESTINAL PARASITES by fecal examination of workers in Esfahan municipality, a group with a low-sanitation working environment close contact with soil contaminants. The lack of information on prevalence in the general population makes it difficult to arrive at any definite conclusions, but on the basis of unpublished data we can conclude that prevalence is somewhat higher in this occupational group compared to the population at large.

Background: Parasitic diseases are one of the health problems in all societies, especially in developing countries. Infection with PARASITES, especially in children, can be associated with learning disorders, malnutrition, anaemia, and physical disorders. On the other hand, an abnormal increase in the theta brainwave amplitudemay also be one of the causes of mental slowness and disability in children’ s learning, decentralization, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Objectives: In this study, we assessed the possible effects of INTESTINAL PARASITES on brainwave changes in children in Karaj Health centers. Methods: A stool examination was done to separate healthy and infected children. Then, using a diagnostic interview and electroencephalography, the theta-wave was recorded in both groups. Results: From 69 children who participated in this study, 8. 7% were infected with one or more INTESTINAL PARASITES. Around 14. 49% of all children had a high theta wave, but the interesting point was that 100% of infected children had a high theta brainwave (P value = 0. 001). In contrast, only 6. 34% of healthy people had high theta waves. Conclusions: In this study, there was a significant relationship between parasitic infection and brain wave changes. Parasitic diseases may alter brainwaves with unknown mechanisms and affect the ability and activities of the brain.

Background: Parasitic infections, especially in under developing countries, are major health concerns. They are of utmost importance in our country due to geographical location, suitable weather and cultural background. This study intends to investigate the prevalence of INTESTINAL PARASITES in urban and rural population of a northern city, Ghaemshahr.Materials and methods: The study population included 4898 urban and 1697 rural residents. Stool samples were randomly obtained and examined by direct and flotation methods. The data were analyzed by chi-square.Results: A total of 557 subjects (8.4%) were infected with INTESTINAL PARASITES among whom 2.8% had protozoa and 5.7% had INTESTINAL helminthes infections. Giardia lamblia was the most frequent parasite (32.8%). Totally, 7.9% of males and 9% of females were infected (NS). Meanwhile, 10.6% of rural subjects and 7.7% of urban residents were infected (p<0.001).Conclusion: Regarding to the high rate of infection with Giardia lamblia, filtration of drinking water is strictly recommended. Meanwhile, our study showed a higher prevalence of parasitic infections in the rural area, therefore, general education and promoting hygienic situation may be partly helpful to control the situation.

Over the last decades, the incidence of infestation by minor PARASITES has decreased in developed countries. Infectious agents can also suppress autoimmune and allergic disorders. Some investigations show that various protozoa and helminthes are connected with the main immune-mediated INTESTINAL conditions including celiac disease (CD), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Celiac disease is a digestive and autoimmune disorder that can damage the small intestine and characterized by a multitude gastroINTESTINAL (GI) and extra GI symptoms. IBD (including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) is a group of inflammatory conditions of the small intestine and colon. The etiology of IBD is unknown, but it may be related to instability in the INTESTINAL microflora that leading to an immoderate inflammatory response to commensal microbiota. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common, long-term condition of the digestive system. Bloating, diarrhoea and/or constipation are nonspecific symptoms of IBS. Various studies have shown that some INTESTINAL PARASITES can effect on immune system of infected hosts and in some cases, they are able to modify and change the host’s immune responses, particularly in autoimmune disorders like celiac disease and IBD. The main objective of this review is to investigate the relationship between INTESTINAL PARASITES and different inflammatory bowel disorders.

Oppotunistic parasitic infections represent one of the major chalenges in the managment of immunodeficient patients. These patients who include a wide range of cancer cases as well as recipients of organ grafts or immunosuppressive drugs are more vulnerable to infections than the healthy people.The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of INTESTINAL PARASITES in immunosppressive drugs recipients mainly due to cancer and kidney transplantation. Accordingly 385 stool samples of cancer patients and reneal transplantation and also 322 patients who did not receive chemical drugs were collected and examind by Direct Wet Mount, Formalin - Ether concentration Method, Modification of Sheather's Sugar flotation, Modified Ziel – Neelson Stain Technique, Harada- Mori tube and Plate- Agar culture. 34.5% of cases and 28.5% of controls were infected by one or more INTESTINAL PARASITES. Blastocystis hominis and Giardia lamblia were most prevalent PARASITES in our study by 18.2% and 11.9% in cases and 11.8% and 6.5% in control group respectively. We found 4 cases of Strongyloidiasis in our patients which might be the causative agent for diarrhea and dissaminated fatal infection in these patients.