Parasite Profile
Blastocystis hominis
StramenopileLarge intestine (cecum)Worldwide
Quick Facts
Scientific Name
Blastocystis hominis
Common Name
Blasto
Parasite Type
Stramenopile
Where It Lives
Large intestine (cecum)
How It Spreads
Contaminated water, Fecal-oral
Prevalence
Worldwide
Gold Standard
Stool microscopy (O&P)
Life Cycle
Typical Symptoms
How It Spreads
fecal oral contact, fecal contaminated water
Testing Methods
- Culture
- PCR
- Stool microscopy (O&P)
PCR (especially in research labs), Jones' medium or other cultures
Potential Treatments Used
- Metronidazole
- Nitazoxanide
- Paromomycin
- Tinidazole
Nitazoxinide (Alinia), Tinidazole, Metronidazole (flagyl), Paromomycin (Humatin)
Prevention
avoid drinking contaminated water, and raw produce washed with contaminated water. avoid ingesting fecal matter
Interesting Facts
- There is some evidence that blasto is transmitted by pinworm eggs [can't find a source for this claim]
- there is emerging evidence of blaso subtypes that are more or less likely to cause symptoms in people (ST1 - ST9)
- was thought to be a yeast (or fungi?) before conclusion was drawn in 2008