en Public Health Public Health پژوهشي Original Article <div><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="line-height:115%">Background:</span></b> <i><span style="line-height:115%">Lophomonas blattarum</span></i><span style="line-height:115%"> is a newly reported opportunistic protozoan parasite that may cause pulmonary infections. Co-morbidity of<i> </i>this parasite and pulmonary viral infections, such as COVID-19 may exacerbate their pathological effects. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of <i>L. blattarum</i> infection in patients with COVID-19 infection. </span></span><br> <span style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="line-height:115%">Methods:</span></b><span style="line-height:115%"> In this study, mini bronchoalveolar lavage (mini-BAL) samples were taken from 93 patients with acute pneumonia due to COVID-19 infection in 2021. The samples were subjected to microscopic examination for the presence of <i>L. blattarum</i>, following smear preparation and staining with two specific methods of Giemsa and Papanicolao. </span></span><br> <span style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="line-height:115%">Results:</span></b><span style="line-height:115%"> The patients included 49 males and 44 females with a mean age of 68.8 &plusmn; 14.8 years. Of the specimens studied after staining, only one specimen (1.08%) was positive for <i>L. blattarum</i>. It was found in a patient with diabetic underlying disease.</span></span><br> <span style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="line-height:115%">Conclusion:</span></b><span style="line-height:115%"> <span style="color:black">It was concluded that the infection of <i>L. blattarum</i> in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia was low. However, the presence of this parasite in this group of patients should not be neglected. </span>This is the first report of pulmonary infection with this protozoan parasite in Zanjan Province.</span></span></span></span></div> Lophomonas blattarum, COVID-19, Pulmonary Infection, Co-infection, Severe pneumonia, 79 82 http://jhehp.zums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-523-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Azam Heidari a.heidari96@hotmail.com 100319475328460015794 100319475328460015794 No Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health and Metabolic Diseases Research Institute, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran; Department of Medical Parasitology & Mycology, Medical School, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran. Samad Ghodrati samad_md@yahoo.com 100319475328460015795 0000000295970493 No Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran. Ahmadreza Mobaien mobaien1@gmail.com 100319475328460015796 0000000253658389 No Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical School, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran. Asghar Fazaeli fazaeli@zums.ac.ir 100319475328460015797 0000000306687707 Yes Department of Medical Parasitology & Mycology, Medical School, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.