Table 1 Demographic, clinical characteristics and parasites in IBS patients and in the control group

Age at diagnosis, years

51 ± 15

53 ± 15

0.482

Female/male, n

91/24

162/47

0.736

Clinical symptoms, %

   Abdominal pain

81.7

85.6

0.355

   Bloating

84.3

74.6

0.043

   Constipation

65.2

60.3

0.381

   Diarrhoea

26.1

28.2

0.679

   Flatulence

12.2

10.0

0.555

   Diarrhoea-Constipation

8.7

5.3

0.229

Parasites found, %

   Any parasite

22.6

19.6

0.524

   Blastocystis spp

15.7

12.0

0.348

   Endolimax nana

8.7

6.7

0.511

   Entamoeba histolytica/dispar

2.6

2.9

0.890

   Giardia lamblia

1.7

1.4

0.831

   Co-infection with 2 parasites

6.0

3.4

0.246