Clinical Aspects of Blastocystis Infections: Advancements Amidst Controversies

摘要: Blastocystis is a noninvasive, luminal parasite commonly reported in human stool samples. Its clinical presentation diverse ranging between acute diarrhea and mild chronic abdominal discomfort. Clinical manifestations of also include urticaria irritable bowel syndrome. Similar to other parasites such as Giardia Entamoeba, asymptomatic carriage common. The zoonotic animal contact often leads infections. opportunistic with higher frequency immunocompromised populations including pediatric cancer patients well HIV-infected individuals. Although noninvasive it might complicate pathogenicity invasive pathogens. Metronidazole the treatment choice, but management difficult owing frequent reports failure. It exhibits extensive phenotypic genotypic diversity, not efficiently captured by classical diagnostic techniques, leading under-reporting Diversity pathobiology variant subtypes suspected be responsible for presentations Treatment outcomes are dependent on subtype phenotype. Despite number controversies surrounding pathogenic potential Blastocystis, several advances have been made recent years areas virulence molecular cellular biology. These fueled improvements tools identification novel options. This chapter highlights some these developments.