<i>Dientamoeba fragilis</i> in Ulcerative Colitis: Analysis of Clinical Findings and Biochemical Parameters
Although <i>Dientamoeba fragilis</i> is a common protozoan in humans, its pathogenicity and clinical significance in human diseases remain poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the frequency of <i>D. fragilis</i> in adult ulcerative colitis patients and to assess i...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/7/674 |
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| Summary: | Although <i>Dientamoeba fragilis</i> is a common protozoan in humans, its pathogenicity and clinical significance in human diseases remain poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the frequency of <i>D. fragilis</i> in adult ulcerative colitis patients and to assess its relationship with clinical findings, disease characteristics, and biochemical parameters. Patient data were analysed in a prospective, single-centre, cross-sectional design. Faecal samples were consecutively collected from June to December 2024 and screened for <i>D. fragilis</i> positivity using polymerase chain reaction. Of the 110 patients, 33 (30%) were in the active stage of the disease, while 77 (70%) were in remission. The overall frequency of <i>D. fragilis</i> was 10.9% (<i>n</i> = 12), with all isolates classified as genotype 1 according to SSU rRNA sequence analysis. Other protozoa identified were <i>Blastocystis</i> sp. (<i>n</i> = 5, 4.5%), <i>Entamoeba coli</i> (<i>n</i> = 1, 0.9%), and <i>Iodamoeba bütschlii</i> (<i>n</i> = 1, 0.9%). Two patients were co-infected with <i>D. fragilis</i> and <i>Blastocystis</i>. No significant associations were found between <i>D. fragilis</i> positivity and the disease stage, gastrointestinal symptoms, treatment response, or biochemical findings. In conclusion, despite the relatively small sample size, these findings highlight a limited clinical role of <i>D. fragilis</i> in adult ulcerative colitis patients. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-0817 |