Nonpathogenic intestinal protozoa are single-celled parasites commonly found in the intestinal tract but never associated with illness. They do not harm the body, even in people with weak immune systems. A finding of these protozoa in a stool exam implies there has been fecal-oral contamination. Persons who are found to have these protozoa and also have intestinal distress should be further examined for other causes of their symptoms.
The nonpathogenic intestinal protozoa include:
- Chilomastix mesnili
- Endolimax nana
- Entamoeba coli
- Entamoeba dispar
- Entamoeba hartmanni
- Entamoeba polecki
- Iodamoeba buetschlii
Image: Left: E. polecki cyst stained with trichrome. Right: I. buetschlii cyst stained with trichrome. Credit: DPDx
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