title: Entamoeba histolytica or Entamoeba dispar among children in Gaza, Gaza Strip?
abstract: Most physicians in Gaza prescribe medicaments for patient's suffering from Entamoeba histolytica/dispar without parasitologic diagnosis. Additionally, stool analysis performed by the routine methods usually reports the species as E. histolytica without con-firmation. In this study, 92 stool specimens were collected and analyzed by wet mount, iron haematoxylin staining, antigen detection of E. histolytica and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The total number of E. histolytica identified by PCR was 64 (69.6%) that of E. dispar was 21 (22.8%). Mixed infection with both E. histolytica and E. dispar was evident in 7 specimens (7.6%). In the light of these results approximately 30% of suspected clinical amoebiasis cases were negative for E. histolytica. It is recommended to use PCR for diagnosis of stool specimens from patients with E. histolytica/dispar and that treatment should be prescribed for only patients positive for E.
authors.affiliation: The Islamic University of Gaza, Faculty of Science, Depart -ments of Biology and Medical Technology, PO Box 108, Gaza, Palestine National Authority. ahindi@mail iugaza
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Hindi
authors.forename: Mohammad E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Shubair
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Ricahrd W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Ashford
authors.forename: Fadel A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.forename: Abdalla A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abed
authors.forename: Eryan G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Kamel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D004747:Entamoeba / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004749:Entamoebiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan