Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is common medical disorder and represent a group of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that is characterized by chronic abdominal pain , bloating , passage of mucus or straining with bowel movements, sense of incomplete evacuation after bowel movements or sense of urgency to move the bowels.Several parasites including Entamoeba. histolytica, Giardia spp., Blastocystis. hominis, and Trichinella spp. have been discussed as contributing factors to the development of IBS. B. hominis is one of the most common human intestinal protozoa in both developing and developed countries. some studies have reported a significant association between the parasitic infections, especially Blastocystis, and IBS.Cryptosporidium has been reported in IBS patients, with the onset of gastrointestinal symptoms after an acute episode of cryptosporidiosis despite recovery and parasite clearance.Numerous studies have been conducted to evaluate the association between the parasitic infections and IBS. Aim of the work: To detect prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in irritable bowel syndrome patients in sohag.