الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 150 |  |  |
| | | from | 150 | | |
Abstract
In order to improve the survival of cancer patients, major advances in the care of cancer patients have taken place, but infectious complications
111
remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients. Oncologists must remain aware of the newly emerging infections including opportunistic parasites, routinely screen for them, and manage them early in order to prevent probable complications and improve the quality of life of cancer patients.
Since diagnostic tools of infectious diseases are frequently developed and improved. The most commonly used method for diagnosis of parasitic infection remain the light microscopy, however, choosing the optimum diagnostic technique depend on the available equipment and reagents, the expertise of microscopist, the time and cost of each used method.
Our study was performed from August 2019 till November 2021. A total of 96 stool and blood samples were collected from cancer patients in Ismailia city. The aim was to determine the prevalence rate of opportunistic intestinal parasites and to investigate the relation between the presence of these parasites and the type of malignancy or the type of treatment the patients receive or their immune status represented by CD4+ cells count.
Diagnostic methods for detection of opportunistic intestinal parasites in fecal samples used in our study included stool examination with direct smears, formol-ethyl acetate concentration and permanent staining using modified acid-fast, trichrome and modified trichrome stains in addition to agar plate culture for diagnosis of S. stercoralis infection. Blood samples were collected for calculation of CD4+ cells count using flow cytometry.
Our study showed the following:
The detection rate of opportunistic intestinal parasites in cancer patients was29% with Microsporidium spp. being the most commonly detected parasite in 13.5% of cases followed by
112
Cryptosporidium spp. in 11.5%, C. cayetanensis in 4.2%, Blastocystis spp. in 3%, S. stercoralis and C. belli were not detected in any sample.