Waterborne Transmission Driving the Prevalence of <i>Blastocystis</i> sp. in Los Rios Region, Southern Chile.

ABSTRACT: Waterborne gastrointestinal infections remain a global health concern, with approximately 1.7 billion diarrhea-related illnesses annually attributable to protozoan parasites. These pathogens are transmitted through contaminated water and exhibit high resistance to chlorination, posing substantial challenges to effective water treatment. This study focused on the most prevalent intestinal parasites in the Los Ríos Region of Chile: Blastocystis sp., Giardia duodenalis, and Entamoeba coli. The objectives were to assess the prevalence of eukaryotic parasites in water samples-covering both drinking and recreational sources-to describe the circulating subtypes of Blastocystis sp. and to identify ecological factors associated with parasite presence. Water samples were

SUBMITTER: Sanhueza Teneo D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12298328 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature