%0 Journal Article
%T Epidemiology and clinical features of intestinal protozoan infections detected by Real-time PCR in non-native children within an Italian tertiary care children's hospital: A cross-sectional study.
%A Venturini E
%A Scarso S
%A Prelazzi GA
%A Niccolai C
%A Bianchi L
%A Montagnani C
%A Lapini M
%A Chiappini E
%A Antonelli A
%A Rossolini GM
%A Galli L
%J Travel Med Infect Dis
%V 43
%N 0
%D Sep-Oct 2021
%M 34116243
%F 20.441
%R 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102107
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Enteric parasite infections are underestimated due to the limited sensitivity and specificity of microscopy, which remains the diagnostic gold standard in routine clinical practice. This could be a major problem in high-income countries, where the burden of parasitic diseases is low. In recent years, Multiplex Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based methods have been implemented. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of four enteric protozoan species detected by RT-PCR in non-native children in Italy, and to describe their clinical characteristics.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Adopted and immigrant children, evaluated for migration health assessment between 2017 and 2020 in a tertiary care children's hospital in Italy, were enrolled. Molecular analysis for Giardia lamblia, Dientamoeba fragilis, Blastocystis hominis, and Entamoeba histolytica, was conducted by in-house RT-PCR.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Overall, 209 children were enrolled and 70% of them resulted positive by RT-PCR for at least one enteric parasite. B. hominis (47.8%) was the most commonly identified protozoa, followed by D. fragilis (44.5%). Co-infections with multiple pathogens were detected in 35.4% of the samples. Almost 80% of parasite-positive children were asymptomatic and the most common symptom was flatulence (60.7% of symptomatic children). Eosinophils were significantly increased in RT-PCR positive children compared to the negative ones and children with D. fragilis presented the highest eosinophils count.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The In-house Multiplex RT-PCR assay provides a valid molecular detection system for selected enteric parasites. This novel and accurate diagnostic method can help in increasing the detection rate of parasite infection, especially in high-risk population.