Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “fecal sample”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,261 records · Page 70Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Simultaneous quantitation of fatty acids, sterols and bile acids in human stool by capillary gas-liquid chromatography.

A simple method for the simultaneous gas-liquid chromatographic quantitation of fatty acids, sterols and bile acids from human fecal samples is described. The various compounds are directly converted into the n-butyl ester-trimethylsilyl ether derivatives, without prior isolation from the stool. Under these conditions, fecal bile acid derivatives are well resolved from each other and from those of fecal fatty acids and sterols without overlaps. The method was found to be reproducible and recoveries were similar to those obtained after exhaustive solvent extraction of fecal sterols, fatty acids and bile acids. Optimum derivatization conditions that allowed maximum recovery of fecal components with minimal destruction and application of the method for simultaneous bile acid, fatty acid and sterol analysis in human stool are described.

Bile Acids and Salts↗
PubMed2001

Increased concentration of fecal alpha1-antitrypsin is associated with cow's milk allergy in infants with atopic eczema.

BACKGROUND: The use of fecal alpha1-antitrypsin in the monitoring of intestinal inflammation in infants with atopic eczema and food allergy was evaluated. METHODS: The study material comprised 26 atopic infants with confirmed food allergy. Fecal samples were collected before an elimination diet and 3 months later for the determination of alpha1-antitrypsin. RESULTS: Nine (35%) of the 26 patients demonstrated an increased fecal concentration of alpha1-antitrypsin (median 3 mg/g; range 2.8-6.4 mg/g). In all nine patients (100%) the oral cow's milk challenge was positive as opposed to only six (35%) in those with normal alpha1-antitrypsin concentration (P = 0.0024). No further connections between alpha1-antitrypsin and other food allergies were detected. As a result of an adequate elimination diet, the fecal concentration of alpha1-antitrypsin was normalized in seven patients, with a favourable clinical response in atopic eczema in six and no improvement in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that serial determinations of fecal alpha1-antitrypsin provide a useful non-invasive tool for the detection and follow-up of intestinal inflammation in a certain group of atopic infants with cow's milk allergy and severe inflammation of the gut.

Dermatitis, Atopic↗
PubMed1998

Effect of tylosin used as a growth promoter on the occurrence of macrolide-resistant enterococci and staphylococci in pigs.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of tylosin used as a growth promoter on the occurrence of macrolide-resistant enterococci and staphylococci in pigs. Two identical feeding experiments with 10 pigs each were conducted to evaluate the effect of tylosin on the occurrence of erythromycin resistance among enterococci sampled from feces and Staphylococcus hyicus sampled by skin swabs. Half of the pigs were fed antibiotic-free feed and the other half feed with tylosin (30 microg/g) added. For each pig, weekly fecal samples and skin swabs were collected and examined for erythromycin-susceptible and erythromycin-resistant enterococci and S. hyicus, respectively. There was an immediate effect of tylosin on the fraction of resistant enterococci recovered, increasing by a factor 2.4; the effect on S. hyicus was more gradual, increasing at a rate of about 8% per day and totaling a five-fold increase over 20 days. Thus, a clear effect on resistance occurrence was demonstrated, not only in intestinal bacteria, but also on bacteria sampled from the skin.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1986

Selective antimicrobial modulation of the intestinal tract by norfloxacin in human volunteers and in gnotobiotic mice associated with a human fecal flora.

Intestinal endogenous members of the family Enterobacteriaceae were eliminated in 12 human volunteers treated with 400 or 800 mg of oral norfloxacin per day for 5 days. No clones resistant to quinolone derivatives were isolated. Counts of aerotolerant streptococci were affected to various degrees, depending on their susceptibility to norfloxacin. During treatment, counts of anaerobes remained above 9.8 log10 CFU/g of feces. A total of 932 anaerobic isolates from the predominant flora (over 10(9) CFU/g) in fecal samples obtained before or during norfloxacin treatment were classified by a simple morphological and physiological scheme. The composition of this flora was fairly stable from one sample to another before treatment and was not substantially modified by norfloxacin. Intestinal resistance to colonization by exogenous microorganisms was studied in gnotobiotic mice associated with a human fecal flora. The composition of the fecal flora of the human donor and the fecal concentrations of norfloxacin in the volunteers were reproduced in the intestine of the mice. Resistance to colonization by exogenous microorganisms was reduced by norfloxacin for only 2 of 14 (14%) of the strains tested. These results suggest that norfloxacin is a good candidate for selective antimicrobial modulation of the intestinal tract in humans.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Association of marine archaea with the digestive tracts of two marine fish species.

Recent studies have shown that archaea which were always thought to live under strict anoxic or extreme environmental conditions are also present in cold, oxygenated seawater, soils, the digestive tract of a holothurian deep-sea-deposit feeder, and a marine sponge. In this study, we show, by using PCR-mediated screening in other marine eukaryotes, that marine archaea are also present in the digestive tracts of flounder and grey mullet, two fish species common in the North Sea, in fecal samples of flounder, and in suspended particulate matter of the North Sea water column. No marine archaea could be detected in the digestive tracts of mussels or the fecal pellets of a copepod species. The archaeal 16S ribosomal DNA clone libraries of feces of flounder and the contents of the digestive tracts of grey mullet and flounder were dominated by group II marine archaea. The marine archaeal clones derived from flounder and grey mullet digestive tracts and feces formed a distinct cluster within the group II marine archaea, with 76.7 to 89. 8% similarity to previously described group II clones. Fingerprinting of the archaeal community of flounder digestive tract contents and feces by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism of archaeal 16S rRNA genes after restriction with HhaI showed a dominant fragment at 249 bp, which is likely to be derived from group II marine archaea. Clones of marine archaea that were closely related to the fish-associated marine archaea clones were obtained from suspended particulate matter of the water column at two stations in the North Sea. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting of the archaeal community present in suspended particulate matter showed the same fragment pattern as was found for the archaeal community of the flounder digestive tract contents and feces. These data demonstrate that marine archaea are present in the digestive tracts and feces of very common marine fish. It is possible that the marine archaea associated with the digestive tracts of marine fish are liberated into the water column through the feces and subsequently contribute to the marine archaeal community of suspended particulate matter.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Microbial and immunological responses relative to high-altitude exposure in mountaineers.

PURPOSE: High-altitude exposure is often associated with gastrointestinal disorders, inflammation, and an increased risk of infection. We suspected microbial and immunological responses to high-altitude exposure in mountaineers resulting from changes in the balance of the intestinal microflora. METHODS: We investigated fecal samples and serum of seven mountaineers who took part in a 47-d German expedition to the Nepalese Himalayas in 2002, for microbial response by changes in different fecal bacterial population groups (fluorescent in situ hybridization), immune response by serum levels of IgG-, IgM-, and IgA anti-LPS (E. coli J5), and inflammatory response by serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) (ELISA). In addition, measurements of body temperature, pulse rate, arterial oxygen saturation, and questionnaire (Lake Louise score for altitude illness) were performed. RESULTS: The data indicate a distinct alteration in the composition of the fecal microflora relative to high-altitude exposure above 5000 m. Bifidobacteria and species belonging to the Atopobium, Coriobacterium, and Eggerthella lenta group decreased, whereas potential pathogenic bacteria of the gamma subdivision of Proteobacteria and specific Enterobacteriaceae such as Escherichia coli increased. Possible endotoxemia resulting from the increase of the latter Gram-negative bacteria was indirectly indicated by the reduction in serum levels of IgM- and/or IgA anti-LPS. CRP was elevated relative to high-altitude exposure. The Lake Louise score correlated with the changes in CRP, IgA-, and IgM anti-LPS but did not correlate with the bacterial alterations. CONCLUSION: Changes in the composition of intestinal microbiota may be associated with indicators of an immunological challenge and may result in an increased health risk of mountaineers during exposure to very high altitude.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Metabolic epidemiology of colon cancer: effect of dietary fiber on fecal mutagens and bile acids in healthy subjects.

Because of potential significance of fecal mutagens and secondary bile acids in the pathogenesis of colonic cancer and of inverse association between dietary fiber and colonic cancer risk, the effect of dietary wheat and rye fiber on fecal mutagenic activity and bile acid levels was studied in 15 healthy men and women who were consuming high fat/moderately low fiber diets and excreting high levels of fecal mutagens and bile acids. Each participant provided two 24-h stool specimens and a 3-day diet record while consuming their normal diet (control). All subjects were then asked to consume their normal diet plus 11 g of supplemental fiber per day in the form of whole grain bread for 4 weeks. During the last week of diet intervention, each subject provided two 24-h stool specimens and a 3-day dietary record. Fecal samples collected from both periods were analyzed for bile acids and for mutagens using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100 with and without microsomal activation. The concentration of fecal secondary bile acids was significantly lower during the fiber supplemental period in all subjects. Fiber supplementation also inhibited the fecal mutagenic activity in TA100 and TA98 with and without microsomal activation. Thus, the increased fiber intake in the form of whole wheat and rye bread may reduce the production and/or excretion of fecal mutagens and decrease the concentration of fecal secondary bile acids in humans.

Bile Acids and Salts↗
PubMed1978

Transmission of swine dysentery by carrier pigs.

Swine dysentery (SD) was transmitted to healthy pigs by contact with experimentally-induced carrier pigs. Carrier pigs were produced by exposure of specific pathogen-free (SPF) swine to swine acutely affected with SD. When carrier pigs became acutely affected with SD, they were allowed to recover naturally or were treated with dimetridazole or ronidazole. Recovery was based on disappearance of clinical signs of SD. At a given time after recovery, normal SPF swine were housed with the carriers in a disinfected isolation unit to determine the ability of carriers to transmit SD. In each of 3 experiments, carriers that had recovered and remained asymptomatic for 11 to 25 days transmitted SD to contacts in 14 to 51 days. In 2 experiments, pathogenic Treponema hyodysenteriae was isolated from carriers 12 days before clinical SD was observed in contacts. Carriers which had recovered and remained asymptomatic for 70 and 90 days transmitted SD to contacts in 1 of 3 experiments. Treponema hyodysenteriae was isolated only from contacts with clinical signs of SD. In 4 experiments, carriers that had been treated with nitroimidazole compounds and subsequently recovered for 19 to 44 days failed to transmit SD. Culture of fecal samples on trypticase soy agar with 5% bovine blood and 400 microgram of spectinomycin/ml was helpful in predicting the carrier state, but phase contact contact microscopy of wet fecal smears was not.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Culture-independent analysis of fecal microbiota in infants, with special reference to Bifidobacterium species.

Fecal microbiota of 31 breast-fed, 26 mix-fed, and 11 bottle-fed infants were analyzed by using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), and culture method. We first determined the total and cultivated bacterial counts in infant fecal microbiota. Only approximately 30% of bacteria present in fecal microbiota were cultivable while the remainder was yet-to-be cultured bacteria. Sixty-eight fecal samples were divided into two clusters (I and II) by T-RFLP analysis, and then subdivided into five subclusters (Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb and IIc). There was no clear relationship between clusters and feeding method. A proportion of bifidobacteria was detected in the fecal material by PCR method using species-specific primers. The predominant Bifidobacterium spp. was Bifidobacterium longum longum type (43 samples (63.2%)), followed by B. longum infantis type (23 samples (33.8%)) and B. breve (16 samples (23.5%)). The distribution of Bifidobacterium spp. was similar in the three feeding groups. In contrast, the high incidence of B. breve in cluster I, especially subcluster Ia and B. longum longum type in cluster II, especially subcluster IIa and IIc were characterized by T-RFLP method. Our results showed that the colonization of Bifidobacterium spp. in infant feces correlated with the T-RFLP clusters.

Bifidobacterium↗
PubMed2002

Western lowland gorilla diet and resource availability: new evidence, cross-site comparisons, and reflections on indirect sampling methods.

We describe the resource availability and diet of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) from a new study site in the Central African Republic and Republic of Congo based on 3 years of study. The results, based on 715 fecal samples and 617 days of feeding trails, were similar to those reported from three other sites, in spite of differences in herb and fruit availability. Staple foods (consumed year-round) included high-quality herbs (Haumania), swamp herbs (when present), and a minimal diversity of fruit. A variety of fruits (average of 3.5 species per day and 10 per month) were selectively consumed; gorillas ignored some common fruits and incorporated rare fruits to a degree higher than predicted based on availability. During periods of fruit abundance, fruit constituted most of the diet. When succulent fruits were unavailable, gorillas used low-quality herbs (i.e., low-protein), bark, and more fibrous fruits as fallback foods. Fibrous fruit species, such as Duboscia macrocarpa and Klainedoxa gabonensis, were particularly important to gorillas at Mondika and other sites as fallbacks. The densities of these two species are similar across sites for which data are available, in spite of major differences in forest structure, suggesting they may be key species in determining gorilla density. No sex difference in diet was detected. Such little variation in western lowland gorilla diet across sites and between sexes was unexpected and may partly reflect limitations of indirect sampling.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Can pancreatic steatorrhea be diagnosed without chemical analysis?

CONCLUSION: Visual observation of feces, considering fecal output, is considered to be an excellent method of detection of steatorrhea when judged by experienced doctors. METHODS: Feces from 192 patients with untreated chronic pancreatitis or under pancreatic enzyme therapy were investigated. Feces were collected for three consecutive days and homogenized with water. Fecal samples were freeze-dried and analyzed for fatty acids by gas chromatography (GLC). The quantity of fat was calculated from the amount of fatty acid to obtain daily fecal fat excretion. Comparison of GLC method with van de Kamer method gave a significant (p < 0.01) positive correlation with correlation coefficient of 0.916 (n = 38). Steatorrhea was defined as fecal fat excretion exceeding 5 g/d. Mild steatorrhea was defined as 5-10 g/d, and severe steatorrhea as more than 10 g/d. RESULTS: Three visual identification items were used to consider fecal output exceeding 200 g/d: fecal fat concentration exceeding 4%, appearance, and odor. The results were compared with the results from GLC method. Detection of steatorrhea by means of visual properties was the most accurate, and correlation coefficient was 0.843 (p < 0.01) by Spearman's rank correlation test. This detection method was also significantly effective for differentiation of normal stool from mild and severe steatorrhea. The sensitivity and specificity were 89.3 and 91.1%, respectively, indicating a favorable result.

Celiac Disease↗
PubMed2006

Natural and gonadotropin-induced ovarian activity in tigers (Panthera tigris) assessed by fecal steroid analyses.

Fecal samples were collected from female tigers (n = 17) to compare endocrine patterns associated with natural ovarian activity with those after chorionic gonadotropin ovulation induction and artificial insemination (AI). Baseline fecal estradiol concentrations were 65.77 +/- 3.61 ng/g with estrual peaks of 167.39 +/- 9.92 ng/g and an anovulatory cycle length of 17.96 +/- 0.70 days. Peak fecal estradiol was higher when females were housed with a male for breeding (262.30 +/- 41.43 vs. 165.30 +/- 3.67 ng/g; P < 0.05). The majority of animals showed some seasonal differences in fecal estradiol however, patterns were inconsistent. Fecal progestagens increased only after breeding confirming tigers are primarily induced ovulators. The non-pregnant luteal phase was 34.50 +/- 1.85 days in duration. In pregnant tigers, fecal progestagens remained elevated for 108 days until parturition and the diagnosis of pregnancy was possible based on the elevated fecal progestagens after 35 days of gestation. Tigers were administered equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) to stimulate follicular growth and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to induce ovulation prior to AI [200 IU eCG/100 IU hCG (n = 5); 400 IU eCG/200 IU hCG (n = 2); 500 IU eCG/100 IU hCG (n = 2); 1000 IU eCG/750 IU hCG (n = 11); 1000 IU eCG/1000 IU hCG (n = 4)]. None of the tigers subjected to AI became pregnant (n = 9). Fecal endocrine patterns in gonadotropin-stimulated tigers were considerably different from those observed in naturally bred tigers. In particular, fecal estradiol concentrations were higher than those observed during natural estrus and remained elevated for longer periods of time in tigers administered the higher doses of gonadotropins typically used in conjunction with AI in this species. These abnormal endocrine patterns may help explain the poor success rate of AI in this species.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

A comparison of persistent anthelmintic efficacy of topical formulations of doramectin, ivermectin, eprinomectin and moxidectin against naturally acquired nematode infections of beef calves.

Persistent anthelmintic efficacy of topical formulations (all at a dosage of 500 microg/kg) of doramectin (DOR), ivermectin (IVM), eprinomectin (EPR) and moxidectin (MOX), in comparison with untreated control cattle (CONT), was observed in stocker beef calves during a 112-day winter-spring grazing trial. Five groups of 15 calves per group were grazed on 15 separate 2 ha pastures following random assignment of animals to specific pastures and then to treatment groups. All of the 5 treatments were represented in each of the 15 pastures. All cattle were weighed on study Days 1, 0, 28, 56, 84, 111 and 112. Fecal samples for nematode egg counts were collected on Days 7, 0, at 7 day intervals through Day 56 and at 14 day intervals to Day 1 12. Pooled group fecal cultures for determining generic composition of nematode infections were prepared at 14 day intervals throughout the study. As based on fecal egg counts, anthelmintic activity of EPR and MOX was greater (p < 0.05) than values for IVM or CONT through Day 28. Activity of DOR was greater (p < 0.05) than that of IVM on Days 7 and 14 only. Although significance levels varied little among treated groups from Day 42 to the end of the study, egg counts and percent reduction values of EPR and MOX remained consistently lower numerically than egg counts and higher than reduction values respectively, of DOR and IVM through Day 70. From Day 70 on, IVM counts were numerically, but not significantly higher than values of CONT. Based on larval culture, Cooperia predominated from Day 0 through 28 and again from Days 70 to 98; Ostertagia was second in prevalence with highest percentages, which exceeded those of Cooperia, between Days 42 and 70. Bodyweights of all treated groups, with exception of IVM, were always significantly greater (p < 0.05) than weights of CONT. Weights of IVM were numerically greater, but not significantly greater than CONT only on Days 84 and 112. From Day 56 on, there were no significant differences between weights of DOR, EPR and MOX, however, numerical values for MOX were consistently higher than values for the other two. Final average total bodyweight gains were: 153.7 kg for MOX, 148.5 kg for EPR, 146.9 kg for DOR, 139.7 kg for IVM and 127.7 kg for CONT.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1996

Protozoal colonization of the intestinal tract in institutionalized Romanian children.

To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in 92 Romanian children institutionalized at Colentina Hospital (Bucharest, Romania) and at the Dystrophic Center (Vidra, Romania), medical charts were reviewed and complete physical examinations were performed. The nutritional status of each child was evaluated, and their sera were tested for the presence of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Cryptosporidium. Fecal samples were collected in 10% formalin and examined by an immunofluorescent assay and by trichrome staining for intestinal parasites. At least one protozoan was identified in 77% of the fecal specimens examined. Giardia lamblia (72% of cases), Cryptosporidium parvum (12%), and Entamoeba coli (4%) were the only parasites identified. Stepwise logistic regression revealed that the only factors predictive of giardia colonization were normal nutritional status (P < .01) and HIV seropositivity (P < .02), while cryptosporidium colonization was only associated with where the children lived (P < .01). Seventy-three percent of the children had IgA and/or IgG antibodies to Cryptosporidium in their sera. The presence of these antibodies was strongly associated with the severity of symptoms present in the HIV-infected children (P < .01). Protozoal colonization of the intestinal tract is common in institutionalized Romanian children and may play a role in causing morbidity and mortality in this high-risk group of children.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed2002

Remote assessment of stress in white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) and black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) by measurement of adrenal steroids in feces.

This study monitored fecal cortisol and corticosterone levels in 14 black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis) and in seven white rhinoceroses (Certotherium simum) under various conditions of captivity, including translocation. Free cortisol and free corticosterone were measured in methylene chloride extracts of feces, using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The extraction-assay method was validated for quantitative measurement of these hormones by mass spectroscopy analysis, chemical derivitization, and radiolabel tracking and recovery. Both cortisol and corticosterone were extractable from feces and routinely detectable by HPLC. In three nonstressed, captivity-adapted white rhinoceroses monitored across 21 days of routine activity, fecal cortisol ranged from 2.0 to 7.3 ng/g dry feces and corticosterone from 4.0 to 10.8 ng/g dry feces, with no observable trend. Matched plasma, urine, and fecal samples in these rhinoceroses yielded corticosterone:cortisol ratios of 2.0:1.0, 2.7:1.0, and 2.2:1.0, respectively. Both black rhinoceroses (n = 5) and white rhinoceroses (n = 4) exhibited higher fecal cortisol (6.9- to 10.0-fold) and corticosterone (3.2- to 4.5-fold) levels in association with restraint-translocation than in limited free-roaming conditions. In five black rhinoceroses monitored across 6 wk after release from translocation, fecal levels of both cortisol and corticosterone decreased significantly between week 1 and weeks 4-6. In general, cortisol and corticosterone paralleled each other, with cortisol exhibiting a greater range of response. Measurement of either hormone in feces appears to be reliable for adrenal axis monitoring in the white and the black rhinoceroses.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Environmental load of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts from cattle manure in feedlots from the central and western United States.

The first step in assessing the risk of water contamination by Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts from feedlot cattle (Bos taurus) production systems is to quantify the number of C. parvum oocysts present in the fecal material deposited by feedlot cattle. Our primary objective for this project was to estimate the daily environmental load of C. parvum oocysts in fecal material deposited by feedlot cattle from across the central and western USA. Our secondary goal was to genotype isolates of C. parvum from feedlot cattle to help facilitate proper identification of mammalian sources of waterborne C. parvum. Based on 5274 fecal samples from 22 feedlots in seven states (California, Washington, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, and South Dakota), we estimated a point prevalence of C. parvum of 0.99 to 1.08% in fecal material from feedlot pens from a wide range of climates and a diverse range of feedlot management systems. On average, fresh fecal material from throughout feedlot systems (recent arrivals to nearing slaughter) contained about 1.3 to 3.6 oocysts/g feces, which roughly translates to about 2.8 x 10(4) to 1.4 x 10(5) oocysts/animal per day.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1999

Estradiol and progesterone metabolite concentration in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) feces.

Assays of reproductive hormone metabolites require validation in each animal species. For validation of methodology in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), fecal samples were collected from females that had been injected by blowgun with estradiol, progesterone, or a control substance. Analysis by radioimmunoassay revealed that estradiol and pregnanediol were more abundant fecal metabolites of estrogens and progestins than were estrone or progesterone. Peak excretion rates of estradiol and pregnanediol occurred within 12 and 24 hr of injection, respectively. Ovulation time was estimated by measuring the frequency of occurrence of eight behavior patterns, including copulation. Profiles were compiled for three deer over the course of estrus and early pregnancy for estradiol, estrone, progesterone, and pregnanediol using radioimmunoassay. Pregnanediol was excreted at concentrations about 1,000 times higher than those of the other three fecal steroid metabolites, and pregnanediol differed in concentration during estrus, the luteal phase, and early pregnancy. Consequently, a simpler enzyme immunoassay was adapted and used to measure pregnanediol levels over the course of estrus and early pregnancy for seven deer. Measurement of fecal pregnanediol is useful for monitoring reproductive events in female white-tailed deer.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Parasites detected from diarrheal stool samples collected in Nepal.

Intestinal parasites were investigated in 396 diarrheal stool samples collected from individuals aged 1 to 68 years (males: 239 and females: 157) in Nepal. Samples were collected at different medical centers located in Kathmandu and from two public schools in a village setting in Kathmandu Valley and outside, during October 1999 to January 2001. The stool samples were mixed with 2% dichromate solution and transported to Japan for investigations. Parasites were detected by employing the formal-ether sedimentation technique. Of a total of 396 fecal samples investigated, 193 (49%) were positive for some kind of parasite. Altogether, 15 species of parasites were detected. Giardia intestinalis topped the list of protozoa, whereas Trichuris trichiura was the most frequently detected among helminth parasites. Of the 193 positive samples, 109 (56%) had single parasite infections, whereas 84 (43%) had multiple infections with a maximum of five species. Of the total positive, 45 (23%) had both protozoa and helminths whereas 37 (19%) had only protozoa. Females (52%) and children (15 years and under) (52%) had a marginally higher prevalence compared with males (46%) and adults (45%), respectively (p > 0.05). Samples collected from two public schools in a village setting inside Kathmandu Valley and outside had a significantly higher positive rate compared with those observed in individuals visiting different medical centers in the city and suburban areas in Kathmandu (p < 0.05).

Adolescent↗