Infection with Blastocystis spp. and its association with enteric infections and environmental enteric dysfunction among slum-dwelling malnourished adults in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND: Blastocystis spp. (Blastocystis) is a widely distributed gastrointestinal protist frequently reported in countries with tropical and sub-tropical climate. We sought to determine the factors associated with Blastocystis infection and investigate its role on biomarkers of intestinal health among slum-dwelling malnourished adults in Bangladesh. METHODOLOGY: Total 524 malnourished adults with a body mass index ≤18.5 kg/m(2) were included in this analysis. Presence of Blastocystis in feces was evaluated by TaqMan Array Card assays. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Blastocystis was tested positive in 78.6% of the participants. Prevalence of infection with atypical strains of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) (56% vs. 38%, p<0.001), and Trichuris trichiura (28% vs. 15%, p-value = 0.02) was significantly greater in adults with Blastocystis, while Giardia intestinalis was significantly lower (8% vs. 14%, p-value = 0.04) in Blastocystis positive adults. Malnourished adults who were living in households with high crowding index (aOR = 2.18; 95% CI = 1.11, 4.65; p-value = 0.03), and infected with aEPEC (aOR = 2.14; 95% CI = 1.35, 3.44; p-value = 0.001) and Trichuris trichiura (aOR = 1.97; 95% CI = 1.08, 3.77; p = 0.03) were more likely to be infected with Blastocystis. A significant negative relationship was observed between Blastocystis and fecal concentrations of alpha-1 antitrypsin (β = -0.1; 95% CI = -1.7, -0.1; p-value<0.001) and Reg1B (β = -3.6; 95% CI = -6.9, -3.0; p-value = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The study findings suggest that the presence of Blastocystis in human intestine influences gut health and may have potential pathogenic role in presence of other pathogens.