PETRI WA, HAQUE R; Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

Abstr Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2000 Sep 17-20; 40: 544.

Univ. of VA, Charlottesville, VA

Amebiasis is defined as infection with the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica. It is now generally accepted that what was earlier known as E. histolytica actually comprises two genetically distinct but morphologically indistinguishable species, E. histolytica and E. dispar. The confirmation of these two distinct species of Entamoeba is perhaps the major accomplishment in the field of amebiasis research during the last decade. It is believed that only E. histolytica sensu stricto can cause intestinal and extraintestinal disease. Almost all of the data that have been collected over the years on the epidemiology of E. histolytica must be discarded, as E. dispar was confused with E. histolytica. We previously developed a rapid antigen detection test that distinguishes E. histolytica from E. dispar directly in stool specimens. This antigen detection test along with a serological test has been used to understand the epidemiology of E. histolytica in children in Bangladesh. Children from a rural area had an overall prevalence of 1% by the stool antigen detection test, while children with diarrhea at the ICDDR,B hospital and urban slum children of Dhaka had an overall prevalence of 4.2 % and 4.3% respectively by the stool antigen detection test. When the data from the diarrheal children were analyzed according to age, it was found that in older children (age >2 years) the prevalence of E. histolytica was 7.4%. Serological tests revealed an overall prevalence of E. histolytica 14.7% in the urban slum children aged 2-5 years. Prevalence of E. histolytica infection in urban slum children was quite high compared to the rural children of similar age and sex.KEYWORDS: Amebiasis; Entamoeba; Parasitology

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Amebiasis
• Animals
• Bangladesh
• Child
• Diarrhea
• Dysentery, Amebic
• Entamoeba
• Entamoeba histolytica
• Entamoebiasis
• Feces
• Humans
• Liver Abscess, Amebic
• Poverty Areas
• Prevalence
• parasitology

Other ID:

• GWAIDS0009980

UI: 102247478

From Meeting Abstracts