ABSTRACT

Intestinal parasites are an important national health problem in our country as in the rest of the world. In our study, the prevalence of intestinal parasites in female students (aged from 16-18 years) in the Mustafa Kemal University School of Health was investigated. Fecal samples and cellophane tape preparations were used for diagnosis. For this reason 142 fecal samples and 136 cellophane tape preparations were examined. One or more parasites were found in 65 (45.77%). fecal samples. The prevalence of parasites that found in fecal samples is as follows: Blastocystis hominis in 63 samples (96.92%) and Giardia intestinalis in 2 samples (3.08%). Enterobius vermicularis was found in 9 (6.61%) out of 136 cellophane tape preparations.

Keywords: Intestinal parasites, Hatay, prevalance, personal hygiene