kaplan, mustafa firat university - faculty of medicine - department of medical parasitology, Elazig, TURKEY , keleştemur, neslihan firat university - vocational school of health services - department of medical services and techniques, Elazig, TURKEY , mülayim, sefa firat university - faculty of medicine - department of medical parasitology, Elazig, TURKEY , aksoy, asude firat university - faculty of medicine - department of medical oncology, Elazig, TURKEY

Prevalence of Intestinal Protozoan Parasites in Adult Cancer Patients in Elazığ: A Cross-Sectional Study

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Objective: Among cancer patients, immunosuppression due to the disease itself or the therapeutic agents used increases the risk of intestinal parasitic infections. The aim of the present study was to determine the types of parasites, the incidence and risk factors that might affect the treatment process and the life quality in cancer patients. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in Firat University Hospital and 18 years old and over oncology patients were followed up and treated. Stool specimens were taken 3 times (at least once) on different days from patients and examined primarily by native and lugol methods. Subsequently, preparations prepared by applying the formol-ether concentration method were examined by specific staining methods. Results: Among 111 oncology patients, 43 (38.7%) were infected with one or more parasites. In 33 (29.7%) patients, a parasite was detected, whereas 7 of them (6.3%) had two species, and 1 of them (0.9%) had three species of parasites. Blastocystis sp. was the most common parasitic species in 34 (30.6%) cases. Only commensal parasites were detected in 32 (28.8%) stool specimens and commensal and pathogenic parasites were detected in 11 (9.9%) stool specimens. There was no significant difference in the distribution of parasitic infections according to demographic characteristics, disease history, personal hygiene habits, clinical status and complaints of the patients. Conclusion: The prevalence of intestinal protozoa in our study group is higher than the prevalence detected in the normal population in our region. We think that this area needs more research, which will help clinicians and create new approaches for patients treatment and follow-up.

97

Intestinal parasites , immunocompromised patients , cancer , prevalence

Fırat University Medical Journal Of Health Sciences

102