Researchers from the University of Malaysia studying patients with colorectal cancer report a much higher prevalence of Blastocystis infection in those patients compared to normal controls. The study included 204 patients with colorectal cancer, and 221 normal controls, the Blastocystis infection found at a rate of Blastocystis infection of 21% in colorectal cancer patients, vs. 9.95% in normal controls. The study also reported that the sensitivity of detection provided by culturing stool samples was significantly lower than that provided by colonic washouts. The full text of the paper is available from BMC Parasites and Vectors.
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Jun 2015