Relationship Among Blastocystis, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes Ratio and Chronic Stress in Mexican University Students.

The role played by Blastocystis in humans has been a subject of discussion due to its intestinal effects and modifications in the intestinal microbiota. We aimed to analyze the relationship between Blastocystis subtypes ST1-4 and 7, the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B ratio) of fecal microbiota, and chronic stress in university students. This study had a cross-sectional design with a sample of 202 students.

Prevalence of Blastocystis and its association with Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in clinically healthy and metabolically ill subjects.

Background: Blastocystis is a typical anaerobic colon protist in humans with controversial pathogenicity and has relation with alterations in the intestinal microbiota composition (dysbiosis), whose eventual indicator is the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B ratio); this indicator is also linked to complications such as diabetes, obesity, or inflammatory bowel disease. The present study investigated the prevalence of Blastocystis and its association with Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in healthy and metabolic diseased subjects.

Methods: Fecal and blood samples were collected consecutively from 200 healthy subjects and 84 subjects with metabolic disease; Blastocystis and its most frequent subtypes were identified by end-point PCR and the two most representative phyla of the intestinal microbiota Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes by real-time PCR.

Blastocystis infection frequency and subtype distribution in university students.

is a parasite commonly found in the gut of humans and animals; there are 22 known subtypes (STs). STs 1-9 and 12 have been found in humans. This parasite has a faecal-oral route of transmission; its high infection prevalence in developing countries is due to poor hygiene practices, exposure to infected animals, and intake of contaminated water or food.