Objective: To investigate the prevalence, species distribution, temporal trends, and associated demographic and clinical factors of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) among symptomatic patients attending a tertiary hospital in Tizi-Ouzou Province, North-central Algeria, over a seven-year period (2018–2024). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using laboratory records of 2568 stool examinations performed at the Parasitology-Mycology Laboratory of the Nedir Mohamed University Hospital Center. Parasitological diagnoses had been established using standard techniques, including direct wet mount, formol-ether concentration, and Scotch tape test. Prevalence rates were calculated, and associations with sex, age, hospital status, and hospital unit were evaluated using Chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests. Results: The overall prevalence of IPIs was 28.4% (95% CI 26.7-30.2). Infection rates were higher in males (30.8%) than females (24.9%), in adults compared with children (30.8% vs. 21.9%), and in outpatients compared with inpatients (30.3% vs. 19.9%). Protozoa predominated (94.4%), with Blastocystis spp. as the most frequently detected parasite, increasing from 7.3% in 2018 to 22.2% in 2024. Dientamoeba fragilis also showed a rising trend (2.2% to 7.2%). Co-infections were observed in 5.3% of cases, mainly involving Blastocystis spp. A decline in prevalence was noted in 2020, likely related to COVID-19 hygiene measures. Conclusions: IPIs remain highly prevalent among symptomatic patients in this region, with emerging protozoan species representing a growing public health concern. further prospective, multicenter studies incorporating molecular diagnostics and environmental investigations are essential to better understand the transmission dynamics of IPIs and validate these findings across diverse geographical regions and healthcare settings.
YOUSFI et al. (2026) studied this question.