Gastrointestinal infections are an important health problem in Turkey. These infections are facilitated by socioeconomical, environmental conditions, hygiene, urban infrastructure nourishment, climate conditions. In this study of the Institute of Cardiology University of Istanbul stool samples have been examined for intestinal parasites. In this retrospective study from January 1993 to June 2000 at the Institute of Cardiology, University of Istanbul, 466 stool samples have been invastigated for intestinal parasites. Parasites have been determined in 41 (8.69%) of the stool samples. Distribution of intestinal parasites in 41 stool samples is as follows: Giardia intestinalis in 28 (6%), Enterobius vermicularis in 5(1%), Taenia saginata in 4(0.85%), Ascaris lumbricoides in 2 (0.42%), Trichuris trichiura in 1 (0.21%) and Entamoeba histolytica in 1 (0.21 %) stoll samples.

In our study parasitological positivity has been established in a lower number of cases compared with results obtained in other studies performed in Turkey.