Detection of Entamoeba histolytica antigen in stool samples in Mersin, Turkey.
Entameoba histolytica, 1 of the 2 Entamoeba species with similar morphology that infect humans, causes invasive intestinal and extraintestinal diseases, whereas Entamoeba dispar is found commensally and is noninvasive. Because of their morphologic similarity, E. histolytica and E. dispar cannot be differentiated microscopically. The antigens of E. histolytica and E. dispar, however, may be detected by the ELISA method. Previous studies have found that the detection of antigens in the stool is as sensitive and specific as cultures and isoenzyme analyses. Stool samples from 272 patients with diarrhea in the province of Mersin, Turkey, were examined for the presence of Entamoeba species microscopically and for Entamoeba (E. histolytica/E. dispar) antigens using the ELISA method. An E. histolytica-specific ELISA test was used to examine 29 E. histolytica/E. disparpositive samples. Twenty-four (8.82%) of the samples tested positive for E. histolytica/E. dispar by trichrome staining, and 29 (10.6%) of the samples tested positive for E. histolytica/E. dispar by the Entamoeba screening test. Entamoeba histolytica was positive in 21 (7.72%) and E. dispar positive in 8 (2.94%) samples. The detection of true E. histolytica infection is possible with the use of E. histolytica-specific antigen ELISA tests. Thus, real cases of amoebiasis can be detected and treated, and overtreatment of the patients with E. dispar, which is the nonpathogenic species, will be prevented.
Microbiology Department of Faculty of Medicine, Mersin University, 33079 Mersin, Turkey. nurandel@hotmail.com
Nuran
N
Delialioglu
Gonul
G
Aslan
Candan
C
Ozturk
Hakan
H
Ozturhan
Sebahat
S
Sen
Gurol
G
Emekdas
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000469:parasitology; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004749:Entamoebiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan