ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted in 7-13 year-old children of the Atatürk and Mimar Sinan Primary Schools in Bayat, Afyon. Stool samples were examined using native-Lugol and flotation methods. Stool samples of 209 children were examined and one or more intestinal parasites were detected in 78 (37.3%) out of 209 children. The rate of protozoa was found to be as follows: Entamoeba histolytica, 2.4%; Entamoeba coli, 10.0%; Blastocystis hominis, 8.1%; Giardia intestinalis, 12.9%; and Endolimax nana, 0.5%. The rate of helminths was found to be as follows: Ascaris lumbricoides, 7.2%; Hymenolepis nana, 0.5%; and Taenia saginata, 0.5%. The treatment of cases, correction of the environmental problems and, in particular, and the education of people in personal hygiene may help in controlling parasites.