title: Entamoeba histolytica infection in children and protection from subsequent amebiasis.
abstract: The contribution of amebiasis to the burden of diarrheal disease in children and the degree to which immunity is acquired from natural infection were assessed in a 4-year prospective observational study of 289 preschool children in an urban slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Entamoeba histolytica infection was detected at least once in 80%, and repeat infection in 53%, of the children who completed 4 years of observation. Annually there were 0.09 episodes/child of E. histolytica-associated diarrhea and 0.03 episodes/child of E. histolytica-associated dysentery. Fecal immunoglobulin A (IgA) anti-parasite Gal/GalNAc lectin carbohydrate recognition domain (anti-CRD) was detected in 91% (183/202) of the children at least once and was associated with a lower incidence of infection and disease. We concluded that amebiasis was a substantial burden on the overall health of the cohort children. Protection from amebiasis was associated with a stool anti-CRD IgA response. The challenge of producing an effective vaccine will be to improve upon naturally acquired immunity, which does not provide absolute protection from reinfection.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Rashidul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haque
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mondal
authors.forename: Priya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duggal
authors.forename: Mamun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kabir
authors.forename: Shantanu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Barry M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Farr
authors.forename: R Bradley
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Sack
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Petri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004404:Dysentery, Amebic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004749:Entamoebiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007070:Immunoglobulin A