Irritable Bowel Syndrome Associated with Blastocystis hominis or Without Relationship to It? A Case-Control Study and Minireview.

BACKGROUND: Blastocystis hominis (B. hominis) is a protozoan parasite that has a worldwide distribution. Some studies have suggested a link between B. hominis and the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of B. hominis in patients with IBS compared to healthy individuals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 65 stool samples from patients with IBS and 65 samples from healthy individuals in northern Iran were examined. The samples were tested using various methods including direct smear, formalin ether sedimentation and culture to detect the presence of B. hominis. Additionally, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on all culture-positive isolates to confirm the results and identify the genotype. RESULTS: B. hominis was detected in 15.38% of IBS patients and 9.2% of the healthy group. The culture in RPMI1640 was found to be better than the formalin ether and direct smear methods. Positive samples were confirmed using the molecular method. No significant difference was observed in the order of B. hominis infection between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study indicate that no significant difference was observed in the order of B. hominis infection between IBS patients and healthy groups. Therefore, further study is necessary to determine the potential pathogenic effects of this parasite and its role in causing IBS.

Association of T. gondii infection with suicide: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Findings on the association between Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection and suicide are contradictory. This paper aimed to resolve this uncertainty by conducting a meta-analysis. METHODS: We found the relevant studies using keywords include "Toxoplasmosis" and "Suicide" and the related synonyms in international databases such as ISI, Medline, and Scopus. The eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis phase. The random effect approach was applied to combine the results. RESULTS: Out Of 150 initial studies, 15 were included in the meta-analysis. Odds of suicide in people with T. gondii infection was 43% (OR: 1.43, 95%CI; 1.15 to 1.78) higher than those without this infection. The test for publication bias was not statistically significant, which indicates the absence of likely publication bias. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that T. gondii infection is a potential risk factor for suicide. To reduce cases of suicide attributable to T. gondii infection, it is recommended to implement some measures to prevent and control the transmission of the disease.