التحري عن المتبرعمة الكيسية في القطط في محافظة نينوى-العراق

Abstract EN

The present study was designed to detect Blastocystis in fecal specimens of cats in Nineveh province -Iraq, which may be implicated as a reservoir for human infection.

A total of fifty fresh fecal specimens were collected randomly from March to June 2014 and examined using Logal's iodine stain, concentrated Sheather's sugar flotation technique and Trichrome staining techniques.

The specimens subsequently examined under light microscope for the presence of Blastocystis sp.

and also to determine the morphology of the detected cells which includes the shape and size.

The results showed that Blastocystis was detected in 18 (36%) fecal specimens and the vacuolar form appeared more than the other morphological forms, also variable sizes of Blasticystis was recorded ranging (15-20 µm).

This is the first report of Blastocystis from cats in Nineveh province -Iraq.

These preliminary results suggest the cats could be considered as a large potential reservoir of Blastocystis.