Blastocystis from infected stools of a person who showed chronic symptoms of abdominal discomfort and diarrhea were examined over a 6-month period, using transmission electron microscopy, for the ultrastructural changes from vacuolar to cystic stage. The study confirms the irregular shedding phenomenon of the organism previously reported, and for the first time, records sequential changes in encystation in stools collected over a time period. The study also confirms the existence of a precystic stage which has an immature cell wall consisting of a layer of a homogenous electron-dense mass surrounding the cell which acts as a intermediatory stage between the vacuolar and cystic stage.
Blastocystis hominis merupakan antara protozoa yang paling biasa ditemui di dalam sampel feses manusia di seluruh dunia. Prevalens infeksi protozoa ini adalah lebih tinggi di kalangan mereka yang tinggal di negara membangun berbanding negara maju. Seramai 71 orang kanak-kanak Orang Asli dari Pos Lenjang, Pahang telah menjadi subjek dalam kajian ini. Bagi kajian yang lebih terperinci, kumpulan kanak-kanak ini telah dibahagikan menurut jantina dan umur. Sampel feses dikumpul dan setiap sampel diperiksa dengan menggunakan 3 teknik diagnostik iaitu teknik apusan langsung, konsentrasi formalin-eter dan perwarnaan trikrom bagi tujuan pengesanan dan pengenalpastian Blastocystis hominis. Prevalens infeksi Blastocystis hominis di kalangan kanak-kanak Orang Asli adalah sangat tinggi iaitu 93%. Kanak-kanak perempuan didapati lebih ramai terinfeksi (97.5%) berbanding kanak-kanak lelaki (87.1%) walaupun secara statistiknya tidak signifikan (p>0.05). Protozoa ini juga telah menginfeksi kesemua kanak-kanak prasekolah (100%) manakala kanak-kanak yang bersekolah turut menunjukkan prevalens infeksi yang tinggi iaitu 86.5%. Daripada segi diagnosis, teknik perwarnaan trikrom didapati paling sensitif dan ia dapat mengenalpasti kesemua (66) sampel feses yang positif dengan Blastocystis hominis. Ini diikuti dengan teknik konsentrasi formalin-eter (43 sampel) dan teknik apusan langsung (18 sampel) (p<0.05). Prevalens infeksi Blastocystis hominis yang tinggi di kalangan kanak-kanak Orang Asli adalah berhubungkait dengan pelbagai faktor termasuk status sosioekonomi yang rendah, budaya, kekurangan kemudahan asas dan tahap pengetahuan mengenai penjagaan kesihatan serta kebersihan diri yang rendah. Selain itu, peningkatan prevalens infeksi dalam kajian ini menunjukkan pentingnya penggunaan teknik diagnostik yang lebih berkesan di dalam pemeriksaan rutin bagi memperolehi hasil diagnosis yang lebih tepat.
Despite frequent reports on the presence of Blastocystis hominis in human intestinal tract, its pathogenicity remains a matter of intense debate. These discrepancies may be due to the varying pathogenic potential or virulence of the isolates studied. The present study represents the first to investigate both phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of B. hominis obtained from symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Symptomatic isolates had a significantly greater size range and lower growth rate in Jones' medium than asymptomatic isolates. The parasite cells of symptomatic isolates exhibited rougher surface topography and greater binding affinity to Canavalia ensiformis (ConA) and Helix pomatia (HPA). The present study also identifies further phenotypic characteristics, which aided in differentiating the pathogenic forms from the non-pathogenic forms of B. hominis. Blastocystis subtype 3 was found to be correlated well with the disease.
The amoeboid form of Blastocystis hominis has been reported infrequently, and its morphological descriptions have yielded conflicting and confusing reports. In the present study, we used the amoeboid forms seen predominantly in symptomatic patients infected with Blastocystis to provide detailed descriptions on the fine surface structure and intracellular morphology. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the irregular shape of the amoeboid form, with an intercalated fibrillar structure and a highly convoluted surface with deep indentations and projected pseudopodia. Transmission electron microscopy showed the existence of two types of amoeboid forms of B. hominis in in vitro culture, one with a large central vacuole containing tiny electron-dense particles while the other contains multiple small vacuoles in the cytoplasm. A surface coat with varying thickness surrounded the amoeboid form, which also showed prominent, extended pseudopodia of varying shape. Irregularly shaped mitochondrion-like organelles with prominent cristae, lipid inclusions, and multiple vacuoles were frequently seen in close proximity with the pseudopodia. The characteristic nucleus with a crescentic band of electron-dense chromatin material was also seen.
The pathogenesis of Blastocystis hominis in human hosts has always been a matter of debate as it is present in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. A recent report showed that B. hominis isolated from an asymptomatic individual could facilitate the proliferation and growth of existing cancer cells while having the potential to downregulate the host immune response. The present study investigated the differences between the effects of symptomatic and asymptomatic derived solubilized antigen of B. hominis (Blasto-Ag) on the cell viability and proliferation of colorectal cancer cells. Besides that, the gene expression of cytokine and nuclear transcriptional factors in response to the symptomatic and asymptomatic B. hominis antigen in HCT116 was also compared. In the current study, an increase in cell proliferation was observed in HCT116 cells which led to the speculation that B. hominis infection could facilitate the growth of colorectal cancer cells. In addition, a more significant upregulation of Th2 cytokines observed in HCT116 may lead to the postulation that symptomatic Blasto-Ag may have the potential in weakening the cellular immune response, allowing the progression of existing tumor cells. The upregulation of nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) was observed in HCT116 exposed to symptomatic Blasto-Ag, while asymptomatic Blasto-Ag exhibited an insignificant effect on NF-κB gene expression in HCT116. HCT116 cells exposed to symptomatic and asymptomatic Blasto-Ag caused a significant upregulation of CTSB which lead to the postulation that the Blasto-Ag may enhance the invasive and metastasis properties of colorectal cancer. In conclusion, antigen isolated from a symptomatic individual is more pathogenic as compared to asymptomatic isolates as it caused a more extensive inflammatory reaction as well as more enhanced proliferation of cancer cells.
Genomic DNA from 16 Blastocystis hominis isolates comprising of eight asymptomatic isolates (A1-A8) and eight symptomatic isolates (S1-S8) was amplified by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) using 38 arbitrary 10-mer primers. Six primers (A10, B5, C20, D1, F6, and F10) generated reproducible DNA fingerprints. AP-PCR amplification revealed similar DNA fingerprints among all symptomatic isolates (S1-S8) with common bands at 850 bp using primer A10, 920 bp using primer B5, and 1.3 kbp using primer D1. Isolates A1, A3, A4, A5, A6, and A7 showed similar DNA banding patterns and all asymptomatic isolates (A1-A8) shared a major band at 1 kbp using primer B5. Isolates A2 and A8 showed distinct DNA banding patterns that differed from the remainder of the isolates. The results of the phylogenetic analyses showed that all symptomatic isolates (S1-S8) formed a clade with >70% similarity among the isolates and which were clearly separate from asymptomatic isolates A1, A3, A4, A5, A6, and A7. Asymptomatic isolates A2 and A8 formed two distinct and separate clades. AP-PCR revealed higher genetic variability within the asymptomatic isolates than within the symptomatic isolates. The present study suggests that AP-PCR can be a valuable method for differentiating between isolates of B. hominis and our results support the hypothesis that our asymptomatic and symptomatic B. hominis isolates may represent two different strains/species with varying pathogenic potential.
Blastocystis hominis has been regarded as an enigmatic parasite as many aspects of its basic biology remain uncertain. Many reproductive processes have been suggested for the organism; however, to date, only the binary fission has been proven. Plasmotomy is one of the modes of reproduction previously suggested to be seen in in vitro cultures. The present study provides trichrome and acridine orange staining evidence for the existence of nucleic acid suggestive of division of nucleus into multinucleate forms with the respective cytoplasm dividing giving rise to two or three progeny B. hominis. Transmission electron micrographs further confirmed that these daughter cells had respective surrounding surface coat, mitochondria, and vacuoles.
Blastocystis hominis is one of the most common human parasites that inhabit the intestinal tract. Conflicting reports continue to exist regarding the existence and the functional role of the amoeboid forms in the life cycle of the parasite. The present study investigates the presence of these forms in 20 isolates obtained from ten symptomatic and asymptomatic patients respectively. A total of 10,000 parasite cells per ml from each isolate were inoculated into three culture tubes each containing 3 ml of Jones' medium supplemented with 10% horse serum, incubated at 37 degrees C. The contents were examined daily for 10 days. Irregular and polymorphic amoeboid forms with multiple extended pseudopodia were observed in all isolates from symptomatic patients, while none of the isolates from asymptomatic patients showed the presence of the amoeboid forms. The amoeboid forms were initially noted on day 2 and the percentages increased from 2% to 28%, with peak percentages from day 3 to day 6. Transmission electron microscopy revealed two types of amoeboid forms; one containing a large central vacuole completely filled with tiny electron-dense granules, and the other which revealed multiple small vacuoles within the central body. The cytoplasm contained strands of electron-dense granules resembling rough endoplasmatic reticulum, which is suggestive of active protein synthesis. The surface coat of the amoeboid form surrounding the parasite showed uneven thickness. Acridine orange stained the central body yellow and the periphery orange, indicating activity at the level of nucleic acids. The amoeboid form could either be an indicator of pathogenicity of B. hominis, or the form likely to contribute to pathogenicity and be responsible for the symptoms seen in patients.
Genomic DNA of Blastocystis isolates released into 0.1% Triton X-100 was suitable for amplification and yielded similar results as the genomic DNA extracted with standard kit. The specific B. hominis primers (BH1: GCT TAT CTG GTT GAT CCT GCC AGT and BH2: TGA TCC TTC CGC AGG TTC ACC TAC A) successfully produced the PCR product of about 1,770 bp with all the 7 Blastocystis isolates tested. The restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns yielded by 13 out of 25 restriction endonucleases showed that the 7 isolates could be grouped into 4 subgroups: subgroup-1 consisted of isolate C; subgroup-2 of isolates H4 and H7; subgroup-3 of isolates KP1, Y51 and M12; and subgroup-4 of isolate 27805. The differences between subgroups manifested as clear-cut RFLP patterns. A common band of 230 bp was revealed by Eco R1 in all the Blastocystis isolates tested. The band of about 180 bp was revealed by Alu I, differentiated symptomatic from asymptomatic isolates of this parasite, and might indicate the pathogenicity of this parasite.
Stress alters the oxidant-antioxidant state and immune cell responses which disrupts its function to combat infection. Blastocystis hominis, a common intestinal protozoan has been reported to be opportunistic in immunocompromised patients namely cancer. B. hominis infectivity in other altered immune system conditions especially stress is unknown. We aimed to demonstrate the stress effects towards the susceptibility and pathogenicity of B. hominis infection.
Isolates of Blastocystis hominis from infected immigrant workers from Indonesia, Bangladesh and infected individuals from Singapore and Malaysia were assessed for growth pattern and degree of resistance to different concentrations of metronidazole. Viability of the cells was assessed using eosin-brillian cresyl blue which stained viable cells green and nonviable cells red. The Bangladeshi and Singaporean isolates were nonviable even at the lowest concentration of 0.01 mg/ml, whereas 40% of the initial inoculum of parasites from the Indonesian isolate at day one were still viable in cultures with 1.0 mg/ml metronidazole. The study shows that isolates of B. hominis of different geographical origin have different levels of resistance to metronidazole. The search for more effective drugs to eliminate th parasite appears inevitable, especially since surviving parasites from metronidazole cultures show greater ability to multiply in subcultures than controls.
Matched MeSH terms: Blastocystis hominis/drug effects*; Blastocystis hominis/growth & development
The objective of this study was to characterize the polypeptides associated with cysts of Blastocystis hominis. This form is believed to be infective and plays a role in parasite resistance to anti-B. hominis drugs currently used for treatment of Blastocystis associated diarrhea. Cysts were induced through in vitro culture of the parasite in complete medium supplemented with bacterial extract with trypticase, metronidazole or doxycycline. SDS-PAGE analysis showed almost similar polypeptide patterns of parasite extracts obtained from in vitro cultured parasites before and after exposure with the three supplements. Polypeptide bands at 76, 58.5, 48, 45, 40, 38, 32, 25 and 22 kDa were constantly seen in all antigenic preparations and no specific cyst-associated polypeptide was present. However, on immunoblot analysis, 3 out of 16 blastocystosis human sera identified a cyst-associated polypeptide at 60 kDa in all parasite extracts prepared from cultures with the three supplements. In addition, there were associated morphological changes detected in these parasites stained with acridine orange and observed under fluorescence microscopy. Metronidazole induced cyst forms (reddish cells) as early as 12 hours post-exposure; more cyst production (with stronger immunoblot bands) occurred after 24 hours exposure. However, cysts rupture with release and destruction of B. hominis daughters cells occurred after 48 hours exposure. Doxycycline induced less cyst-like forms at 24 hours (weaker 60 kDa band) and less destruction of the cysts (60 kDa band still present at 72 hours post exposure). Bacterial extract and trypticase also induced cysts at 12 hours with increasing numbers up to 72 hours exposure (corresponding increase in intensity of 60 kDa band from samples harvested at 12 to 72 hours post exposure) without any sign of deleterious effect on the parasite.
A 27-year-old man presented with a two-week history of central colicky abdominal pain associated with loose stools. Further history revealed that he had been exposed to contaminated waters. Stool investigation by direct wet stool smears revealed the presence of Entamoeba histolytica and Blastocystis hominis cysts. A diagnosis of amoebiasis secondary to E. histolytica and concurrent B. hominis infestation was made. We would like to emphasise the importance of clinical history including recent travel to endemic areas. Any suspicion of parasitic infection should prompt the clinician to investigate. Early diagnosis and management would prevent serious complications associated with E. Histolytica infection.
The fact whether Blastocystis hominis can invade has always been in question. Apart from a few sporadic studies such as that done on gnotobiotic guinea pigs which showed surface invasion and mucosal inflammation of the host's intestine caused by B. hominis infection, no real documentation of invasion has been proven. Studies have shown that hyaluronidase is secreted during the penetration into the host's skin and gut by nematode parasites. Hyaluronidase activity in protozoa namely Entamoeba histolytica has also been described previously. This study attempts to determine hyaluronidase in urine samples of B. hominis-infected rats. The presence of hyaluronidase in urine provides an indirect evidence of invasion by B. hominis into colonic epithelium causing the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins namely hyaluronic acid (HA). HA is depolymerized by hyaluronidase which may be used by organisms to invade one another. In this study, the levels of urinary hyaluronidase of Sprague-Dawley rats infected with B. hominis were monitored for 30 days. Hyaluronidase levels in the infected rats were significantly higher on days 28 and 30 compared to the day before inoculation (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). During this stage, parasitic burden in infected stools was also at a high level. Proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6 and interleukin-8, were also significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the serum of infected rats. The study demonstrates that since no other pathogen was present and that amoeboid forms of the parasites have been shown to exist previously, the elevated levels of hyaluronidase in this preliminary finding suggests that the organism is capable of having invasion or penetration activity in the hosts' intestine.
Blastocystis hominis has long been described as a non pathogenic protozoan parasite until recently when claims have been made that it can result in pathogenic conditions. Of the 729 stool samples (614 from survey and 115 from pediatric wards) examined, 18.1% of them were found to be positive for one or more intestinal protozoan cyst. The commonest was Giardia intestinalis (8.4%) Followed by Entamoeba coli (7.1%) and Entamoeba histolytica (5.1%) in the normal children without symptoms of diarrhea. When diarrheic stools were examined, the commonest parasite encountered was Giardia (20.4%), followed by E. coli (15.9%) and E. histolytica (9.7%). Blastocystis was observed in 4.4% of the children who had diarrhea and 1.1% among the children taken from the normal population in the rural areas.
The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among schoolchildren in Colalao del Valle, a high-altitude community in Tucumán province, Argentina, was investigated. The data revealed a high prevalence of parasitism (79.7%) with no significant differences in distribution by sex or age. Protozoa infections were the most common with Blastocystis hominis being the most prevalent (62.5%), followed by Giardia lamblia (29.7%), Endolimax nana (15.6%), Entamoeba coli (12.5%) and Iodamoeba bütschlii (3.1%). Interestingly, there was an absence of soil-transmitted helminths among the studied population which could be related to climate (variable temperatures, moderate rainfall) and soil type (clay).
A descriptive study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of Blastocystis hominis in children aged between 1-12 years old from randomly selected villages in Alor Gajah district Melaka. The sampling was carried out from 1st to 7th of July of 2006. A total of 48 faecal samples were obtained from the children in those studied villages. The faecal specimens were examined by direct saline wet moun, formalin ethyl acetate concentration and trichrome staining method. It was found that 45.8% (22 out of 48) of the examined children were infected with Blastocystis hominis . Based on the results, the cumulative prevalence of three methods used showed that Blastocystis hominis infection in female children higher compared to male children. Whilst the schooling children aged of 6 to 12 years had a higher prevalence than pre school children at the age of 1-5 years. In term of diagnosis, formalin ethyl acetate concentration method showed prevalence of detection at 60.9%. It was followed by direct saline wet mount (43.5%) and trichrome staining at 34.8%.