Laboratory diagnosis of amebiasis in a sample of students from southeastern Brazil and a comparison of microscopy with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for screening of infections with Entamoeba sp.

Abstract

introduction:Epidemiological studies on amebiasis have been reassessed since Entamoeba histolytica and E. dispar were fi rst recognized as distinct species. Because the morphological similarity of these species renders microscopic diagnosis unreliable, additional tools are required to discriminate between Entamoeba species. The objectives of our study were to compare microscopy with ELISA kit (IVD®) results, to diagnose E. histolytica infection, and to determine the prevalence of amebiasis in a sample of students from southeastern Brazil. Methods: In this study, diagnosis was based on microscopy due to its capacity for revealing potential cysts/trophozoites and on two commercial kits for antigen detection in stool samples. Results: For 1,403 samples collected from students aged 6 to 14 years who were living in Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil, microscopy underestimated the number of individuals infected with E. histolytica/E. dispar (5.7% prevalence) compared with the ELISA kit (IVD®)-based diagnoses (15.7% for E. histolytica/E. dispar). A comparison of the ELISA (IVD®) and light microscopy results returned a 20% sensitivity, 97% specifi city, low positive predictive value, and high negative predictive value for microscopy. An ELISA kit (TechLab®) that was specifi c for E. histolytica detected a 3.1% (43/1403) prevalence for E. histolytica infection. Conclusions: The ELISA kit (IVD®) can be used as an alternative screening tool. The high prevalence of E. histolytica infection detected in this study warrants the implementation of actions directed toward health promotion and preventive measures.

Alterations in the lipid profiles and circulating liver enzymes in individuals infected by Schistosoma mansoni

“…Sex-associated distributions of S. mansoni infection in this population indicated a higher prevalence among men, a finding concordant with those of previous studies carried out in the Brazilian states of Pernambuco 15 , Alagoas 16 , Sergipe 17 , and Bahia 18 . The predominance of mansonic schistosomiasis in men is likely due to cultural and behavioral variables rather than male-specific susceptibility 19 .…”

Use of real-time polymerase chain reaction to identify Entamoeba histolytica in schoolchildren from northwest Mexico

“…Compared to immunoassay, microscopy has a specificity of 97% and sensitivity of only 20% for E. histolytica/E. dispar identification [5]. When compared to real-time PCR, the immunoassay test has 79% and 96% sensitivity and specificity, respectively [15].…”

“…The worldwide prevalence of E. histolytica, based on microscopic techniques, has been estimated to be 10%; however, it is probably an overestimation of the actual prevalence [5]. The distribution of E. moshkovskii has been scarcely studied, but E. dispar has been found to be ten times more prevalent than E. histolytica [6][7].…”

Entamoeba histolytica Tanisinda Adezin Antijeninin Diskida ELISA Yontemiyle Arastirilmasi

“…Bu nedenle E. histolytica'yı saptayan ELISA yöntemlerinin kullanılması gereksiz tedaviyi engellemiş olacaktır (13). Diğer bir çalışmada rastgele seçilen çocuk yaş grubundan 500 olguda mikroskobik olarak %6 oranında belirlenen E.histolytica/E.dispar pozitifliği antijen saptayan ELISA ile %3.2 oranında saptanmıştır (14).…”