[The rate of parasite detection over a 5-year period in the parasitology faculty laboratory at the Hacettepe University].

The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the rate of parasite positivity, in the samples which were sent to Parasitology Laboratory of Hacettepe University Medical School, between 1997-2001. A total of 58.150 specimens collected from subjects of whom 42% were adult and 58% were children, have been evaluated for the presence of parasites. Most of the samples (98%) were feces, and the remaining were sputum, cellotapes, blood and cyst materials. One or more parasites were detected in 2.117 (3.6%) of the specimens, and Giardia intestinalis (69.5%), Enterobius vermicularis (9.7%) and Taenia saginata (6.8%) were the most frequently encountered parasites.