ABSTRACT

This study was performed in order to determine the distribution of intestinal parasites among students of Süphan Primary School in Van in 2005. In the study, stool specimens were taken from 395 students (166 girls and 229 boys) between 7–15 years of age. The specimens were examined by native-Lugol, flotation and trichrome staining methods in the parasitology laboratory of Health Research and Training Hospital, Yüzüncü Yıl University. One or more parasite species were detected in 28.9 % of the children. Parasitosis was detected in 28.3% of the girls and in 29.3% of the boys. Giardia intestinalis, Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis nana, Blastocystis hominis, Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar, Entamoeba coli, Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis, Iodamoeba butschlii, Endolimax nana were detected at the rates of 15.4%, 6.6%, 6.3%, 3.3%, 1.5%, 1.3%, 0.5%, 0.3%, 0.3% and 0.3%, respectively. In conclusion, it was observed that the socioeconomic status has an important impact on the frequency of intestinal parasites among primary school students, and the parasitosis is still a problem in the province.