Dientamoeba fragilis in Ulcerative Colitis: Analysis of Clinical Findings and Biochemical Parameters

Although <i>Dientamoeba fragilis</i> is a common protozoan in humans, its pathogenicity and clinical significance in human diseases remain poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the frequency of <i>D. fragilis</i> in adult ulcerative colitis patients and to assess its relationship with clinical findings, disease characteristics, and biochemical parameters. Patient data were analysed in a prospective, single-centre, cross-sectional design. Faecal samples were consecutively collected from June to December 2024 and screened for <i>D. fragilis</i> positivity using polymerase chain reaction. Of the 110 patients, 33 (30%) were in the active stage of the disease, while 77 (70%) were in remission. The overall frequency of <i>D. fragilis</i> was 10.9% (<i>n</i> = 12), with all isolates classified as genotype 1 according to SSU rRNA sequence analysis. Other protozoa identified were <i>Blastocystis</i> sp. (<i>n</i> = 5, 4.5%), <i>Entamoeba coli</i> (<i>n</i> = 1, 0.9%), and <i>Iodamoeba bütschlii</i> (<i>n</i> = 1, 0.9%). Two patients were co-infected with <i>D. fragilis</i> and <i>Blastocystis</i>. No significant associations were found between <i>D. fragilis</i> positivity and the disease stage, gastrointestinal symptoms, treatment response, or biochemical findings. In conclusion, despite the relatively small sample size, these findings highlight a limited clinical role of <i>D. fragilis</i> in adult ulcerative colitis patients.

Abstract licence: CC BY

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