dientamoeba fragilis in gaza strip: a neglected protozoan parasite.

background: the aim of this study was to detect dientamoeba fragilis by iron haematoxylin stain, as well as its prevalence, and association between d. fragilis infection and diarrhoea among patients at-tending al-nuseirate refugee camp clinic, gaza strip. methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted among 319 children and adults with age ranges from (1 to 75) years old, attending al-nussirat clinic, and who were complaining from clinical symp-toms, like diarrhoea and abdominal pain . results: 28 individuals were infected with d. fragilis with a prevalence of 8.8%. the detection of 28 cases infected with d. fragilis was proved using iron haematoxylin stain, but no case was detected by direct smear or formal-ether sedimentation technique. the most frequent symptoms were abdominal pain (96.4%) and diarrhoea (71.4%) in patients with diantamoebiasis and this was statistically signifi-cant ( p = 0.03). co-infection between d. fragilis and entamoeba histolytica/dispar was 50% and between d. fragilis and giardia lamblia was 7.1%. conclusion: d. fragilis was present in the patients stool samples and was detected and proved using iron haematoxylin stain.