ArticlePloS one2019
Resistance towards metronidazole in Blastocystis sp.: A pathogenic consequence.
Article in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 42 citations in OpenAlex.
- A Systematic Review about the Efficacy of Antiparasitic Agents in the Treatment of Blastocystis Species.Acta parasitologica · 2025Pooled it
- Antiparasitic activity and molecular docking of canthin-6-one derivatives from LED- modulated Eurycoma longifolia roots against Blastocystis ST3 and ST7.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Association of Blastocystis species subtypes 3 and 4 with intestinal inflammation and response to metronidazole in symptomatic patients.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Lactobacillus probiotics potential in Blastocystis infection: in vitro and in vivo studies.Gut pathogens · 2025Article
- Commensal, pathogen, or passenger? Rethinking the role ofOne health (Amsterdam, Netherlands) · 2025Review
- Assessment of the Therapeutic Role of Allium tuncelianum Extract in Rats Infected with Blastocystis Subtype 3.Acta parasitologica · 2025Article
- Antiprotozoal Effects ofPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- The effects of LED Spectra on synthesis of antiparasitic bioactive compound in Eurycoma longifolia hairy root culture against Blastocystis Sp.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- The Role ofPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Assessment of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) therapeutic and prophylactic role in rats experimentally infected with Blastocystis subtype 3 (ST3).Parasitology research · 2025Article
- Atypical Presentation ofInternational medical case reports journal · 2025Article
- Gut bacteria influence Blastocystis sp. phenotypes and may trigger pathogenicity.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2023Article
- Higher amoebic and metronidazole resistant forms of Blastocystis sp. seen in schizophrenic patients.Parasites & vectors · 2022Article
- Anti-blastocystosis activity of antioxidant coated ZIF-8 combined with mesoporous silicas MCM-41 and KIT-6.Scientific reports · 2022Article
- Association ofWorld journal of gastrointestinal oncology · 2022Article
- Occurrence, genetic diversity and zoonotic potential of Blastocystis sp. in forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) in Southwest China.Parasite (Paris, France) · 2022Article
- Influence of Proton Pump Inhibitors and Histamine Receptor 2 Antagonists on Blastocystis ST3 and Selected Microorganisms of Intestinal Microbiota In Vitro.Clinical and translational gastroenterology · 2021Article
- In vitro susceptibility of humanSaudi journal of biological sciences · 2021Article
- First identification and molecular subtyping of Blastocystis sp. in zoo animals in southwestern China.Parasites & vectors · 2021Article
- Antiprotozoal potential ofJournal of parasitic diseases : official organ of the Indian Society for Parasitology · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Blastocsytis sp. is a protozoan parasite that has been linked to common gastrointestinal illnesses. Metronidazole, the first line therapy, was reported to show frequent inefficacy. Previously, Blastocystis sp. isolated from different population showed varying metronidazole resistance. However, the effect of metronidazole treatment on pathogenic potentials of Blastocystis sp. isolated from different populations, which is known to have different gut environment, is unclear. This study investigates the in vitro effect of metronidazole on the pathogenic potentials of Blastocystis sp. isolated from urban and orang asli individuals. Blastocystis sp. ST 3 isolated from symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals were treated with a range of metronidazole concentration. The parasites' growth characteristics, apoptotic rate, specific protease activity and the ability to proliferate cancer cells were analyzed upon treatment with 0.001 mg/l metronidazole. The study demonstrates that Blastocystis sp. isolates showed increase in the parasite numbers especially the amoebic forms (only in urban isolates) after treating with metronidazole at the concentration of 0.001 mg/ml. High number of cells in post-treated isolates coincided with increase of apoptosis. There was a significant increase in cysteine protease of Blastocystis sp. isolates upon treatment despite the initial predominance of serine protease in asymptomatic isolates. Metronidazole resistant Blastocystis sp. also showed significant increase in cancer cell proliferation. Resistance to metronidazole did not show significant different influence on the pathogenicity between Blastocystis sp. isolated from urban and orang asli individual. However, an increase in parasite numbers, higher amoebic forms, cysteine protease and ability to proliferate cancer cells implicates a pathogenic role. The study provides evidence for the first time, the effect of metronidazole towards enhancing pathogenic potentials in Blastocystis sp. when isolated from different gut environment. This necessitates the need for reassessment of metronidazole treatment modalities.
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