This study assessed intestinal protozoa with stress on Blastocystis among patients with CKD and
those on hemodialysis (HD) in Nephrology Unit, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria.
The patients were divided into three groups. GI: 50 patients on HD for at least one year, GII: 50 CKD
patients not on HD, and GIII: 50 healthy controls. Fresh stool samples were collected in labeled plastic
boxes and examined as direct smears after staining with trichrome, Modified Ziehl-Neelsen (MZN)
stains and modified trichrome (MT) stains. Besides, stool samples were cultured for Blastocystis hominis
and Copro-antigen (ICT) was used to detect E. histolytica /dispar, G. lamblia and C. parvum.
The results showed that the parasitic infections were detected in 79% of the patients; 40% in HD and
39% in CKD patients. The positive samples were (47%) detected by direct wet mount followed by
iodine smear (43%) and then trichrome stain (42%). Microsporidiosis was detected in 55 (55%) HD
and CKD patients using the MT stain. ICT agreed with microscopic examination in diagnosis of
E.histolytica/ dispar and G. lamblia and showed perfect agreement with MZN in C. parvum diagnosis.