The prevalence of Cyclospora cayatenensis in patients with gastrointestinal system complaints

Objective: In our study, the prevalence of Cyclospora cayatenensis was investigated molecularly in patients withgastrointestinal complaints.Method: Seventy patients with gastrointestinal system complaints were included in the study. Nested PCR was appliedto all samples taken from patients.Results: In this study, 70 stool samples taken from the patients with gastrointestinal system complaints and sent to theparasitology laboratory of Ordu University Faculty of Medicine were examined molecularly for Cyclosporacayatenensis and of the 70 samples, 25 (35.7%) were found to be positive.Conclusions: The high rates determined from the patient samples and the environmental samples with the studiessuggest that this parasite may be the cause of an epidemic in the future. Especially diarrhea patients, water and foodsamples should be evaluated in terms of coccidian protozoa like Cyclospora.