Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections among Mentally Disabled Children and Adults of Urmia, Iran

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of intestinal parasites infection in institutions for mental retardation of Urmia City, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran was investigated. METHODS: This descriptive - cross sectional study was carried out in institutions of mentally retarded patients of Urmia city in 2007–2008. Fecal samples of 225 less than 29 year old mentally disabled individuals were examined using direct smear, formalin - ether concentration. Beside their scotch tape samples were observed for Enterobius eggs. Statistical evaluation was performed by SPSS 10. RESULTS: Of 225 mentally retarded persons, 118(52.4%) and 107(47.6%) were female and male. The overall prevalence of infection was 20.4% and that of male, and female were 20.5% and 20.3%, respectively. 17.3% of examined individuals had protozoa infection and 3.1% showed Enterobius vermicularis eggs. The infection rates of detected intestinal protozoa were Entamoeba coli 9.7%, Giardia lamblia 6.2%, Iodoamoeba butschlii 5.7%, Blastocystis hominis 4%, and Entamoeba histolytica/dispar 0.4%. Forty percent of 1–5 year, 22.8% of 6–14 year, 22.2% of 15–18 year, and 16.8% of more than 18-year age groups, had positive results in their tests. According to IQ test results, 23.8% of less than 25 score group, 19.6% of 25–50, 17.2% of 50–75, and 40% of 75–90 groups were infected. CONCLUSION: More efforts for increasing sanitation level and prompt diagnosis and treatment of infected persons in these institutions are necessary.