ABSTRACT

Amoebiasis is a significant health problem in developing countries. Humans are infected by two morphologically identical species of Entamoeba. Entamoeba histolytica causes amebic colitis and liver abscess, and Entamoeba dispar is noninvasive. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the E. histolytica/E. dispar complex using the ELISA method on stools of patients. A total of 1600 stool specimens were examined using Lugol preparations and the modified Ritchie method. A total of 583 (36.4%) of the stool specimens were found to be positive for one or more than one parasite. Twenty two subjects (3.8%) of the study population with intestinal parasites harbored two parasites and one subject (0.2%), three parasites. A total of 87 stool specimens that were doubtful using the Lugol method were examined by the E. histolytica specific sensu-lato antigen based ELISA test and the trichrome staining method. Of these 87 specimens, 23 (26.4%) specimens were positive for E. histolytica/E. dispar trophozoites/cysts microscopically using trichrome staining and 19 (21.7%) of the stool specimens were found to be positive for the E. histolytica/E. dispar complex by the ELISA test.