Detection of Blastocystis sp. and Dientamoeba fragilis using conventional and molecular methods in patients with celiac disease

Blastocystis sp. and Dientamoeba fragilis are intestinal protists, which are common worldwide, but the pathogenic role of these organisms in gastrointestinal diseases is still controversial. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of Blastocystis sp. and D. fragilis in stool samples from adult patients with celiac disease (CD) by using conventional and molecular methods. A total of 75 patients with CD and 75 healthy individuals were included in this study. Fresh stool specimens collected from each individual were analyzed by conventional and molecular methods. The overall prevalence of Blastocystis sp. and D. fragilis was 41.3% (31/75) and 24% (18/75) in patients with CD, and 46.7% (35/75) and 13.3% (10/75) in healthy controls, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. and D. fragilis between CD patients and healthy individuals. Blastocystis sp. subtypes were identified in 20 CD and 16 control patients and the overall subtype distribution was observed as ST1 13.9%, ST2 30.6%, and ST3 55.6%. The prevalence of Blastocystis sp. and D. fragilis in adults with CD is similar to the prevalence of protozoa in healthy adults. In this study, the most prevalent Blastocystis subtype was ST3 and the most frequent allele was a34 in both CD patients and healthy individuals. No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of the detection rates of Blastocystis sp. and D. fragilis, and it is thought that both protists may be colonisers of the intestinal microbiome.