SynthesisParasitology research2017
The role of Blastocystis sp. and Dientamoeba fragilis in irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Parasitology research, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 45 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
45 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 102 citations in OpenAlex.
- Risk factors for developing irritable bowel syndrome: systematic umbrella review of reviews.BMC medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in patients with diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.International health · 2024Pooled it
- Blastocystis, urticaria, and skin disorders: review of the current evidences.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2020Pooled it
- Transient colonization with Blastocystis spp. after transmission via fecal microbiota transplantation.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2025Trial
- Effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei supplementation on the single-cell fecal parasitome in children with celiac disease autoimmunity: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.Parasites & vectors · 2023Trial
- Genetic diversity and zoonotic transmission potential ofParasite epidemiology and control · 2026Review
- Association of Blastocystis species subtypes 3 and 4 with intestinal inflammation and response to metronidazole in symptomatic patients.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Prevalence and Subtypes of Blastocystis in Symptomatic Children in Egypt and Anti-Blastocystis Efficacy of Artemisia alba-Loaded Silver Nanoparticles In Vitro and in Swiss Albino Mice.Acta parasitologica · 2026Article
- Review
- Molecular Investigation and Characterization of Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Coxiella burnetii and Dientamoeba fragilis in Raw Milk and Cheese: A First Report for Dientamoeba fragilis.Acta parasitologica · 2025Article
- Crossing the species barrier: Bidirectional transmission ofOne health (Amsterdam, Netherlands) · 2025Review
- Commensal, pathogen, or passenger? Rethinking the role ofOne health (Amsterdam, Netherlands) · 2025Review
- Blastocystis hominis; Friend or Foe.Integrative medicine (Encinitas, Calif.) · 2024Review
- Foodborne concerns ofFood and waterborne parasitology · 2024Review
- Molecular characterization and zoonotic potential of Entamoeba spp., Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Blastocystis from captive wild animals in northwest China.BMC veterinary research · 2024Article
- Evaluation of the Use of Singleplex and Duplex CerTest VIASURE Real-Time PCR Assays to Detect Common Intestinal Protist Parasites.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Prevalence and subtypes ofFrontiers in veterinary science · 2024Article
- Prevalence of Blastocystis and Dientamoeba fragilis in diarrheal patients in Corum, Türkiye.Parasitology research · 2023Article
- Extensive prevalence and significant genetic differentiation of Blastocystis in high- and low-altitude populations of wild rhesus macaques in China.Parasites & vectors · 2023Article
- Infection with pathogenic Blastocystis ST7 is associated with decreased bacterial diversity and altered gut microbiome profiles in diarrheal patients.Parasites & vectors · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is globally one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal disorders with a negative impact on quality of life and socio-economic status of patients. Recently, controversial evidences suggest that Blastocystis sp. and Dientamoeba fragilis infections may be implicated in the development of IBS. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the possible association regarding this issue. PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane electronic databases were searched (up to February 2017) to identify the relevant studies. Pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using a random effects meta-analysis model on data from included studies. A total of 17 studies including 5882 participants (2527 patients and 3310 controls) met the eligibility criteria. Individuals with Blastocystis infection were found to have a positive association with IBS (OR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.54-3.13), while this association was not observed for D. fragilis infection (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.22-5.72). In subgroup analysis for Blastocystis infection, the pooled ORs were OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.55-3.41; OR 1.70, 95% CI 0.83-3.44; and OR 3.83, 95% CI 2.34-6.27 for hospital-based, healthy volunteers, and combined controls, respectively. Considering the subtypes, meta-analysis result demonstrated significant positive ORs for ST1 (OR, 4.40; 95% CI, 2.81-6.90) and ST3 (OR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.36-2.77) to be potential risk factors for IBS. Our results support the existence of a positive association between Blastocystis sp. and IBS. Further studies with more sample size should be performed to better investigate the real impact of these parasites on the occurrence of IBS.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.