Comparative study of the frequency of non-pathogenic intestinal protozoa in the pediatric and adult populations at the Mohammed VI University Hospital in Oujda/Morocco

Blastocystis hominis, Endolimax nanus, Pseudolimax butschlii, Entamoeba coli, and Chilomastix mesnili are non-pathogenic intestinal parasites belonging to different genera of protozoa. They are common in the general population with a cosmopolitan distribution, and they are often the witness of fecal-oral contamination and poor food hygiene. The objective of our study is to verify whether or not there is a significant difference in the frequency of carriage of these parasites depending on age (child, adult). The retrospective study included all stool samples received in the Parasitology / Mycology Laboratory of the Mohammed VI University Hospital of Oujda for 3 years (from 08/07/2019 to 07/29/2022). In children, we performed 456 parasitological stool examinations, 33% of which were positive (n = 150), while in adults, 2325 parasitological stool examinations were conducted with 39% positive results (n = 900). We compared the frequencies observed in children and adults for each parasite using a parametric statistical test using XLSTAT™ statistical software. According to these results, we note that there is no significant difference in the frequency of carriage of these intestinal protozoa between children and adults and that there is no preferred predisposition to contracting these parasites depending on age, except for Chilomastix mesnili, which is more common in adults (p < 0.0001). The frequency of this parasitic carriage is practically identical in the pediatric and adult populations, hence the interest in fighting against these parasites by treating patients, especially symptomatic ones, properly managing fecal peril, and reinforcing individual and collective hygiene.