Dientamoeba fragilis

Dientamoeba fragilis, a pathogenic flagellate and one of the most frequent parasitic infections that often goes undetected due to poor laboratory technique.

Symptoms include diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort. It resides in the colon, has a cosmopolitan distribution, is found as a trophozoite, and has no cyst stage. Transmission is by direct ingestion of the trophozoite and can be found within the eggs of some helminths, especially pinworms.

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Please do not return samples to the laboratories that may arrive after Wednesday 27th March and up to and including Monday 2nd April.

The laboratories are closed from the 28th March – 2nd April for the Easter Holiday.