Prevalence and Associated-Factors for Entamoeba gingivalis in Adolescents in Southeastern Iran by Culture and PCR, 2017

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to identify the prevalence and potential factors associated with Entamoeba gingivalis in adolescents in the city of Kerman, southeastern Iran, 2017. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 315 adolescents (mean age; 15 yr) consisting of 189 males and 126 females were randomly selected. For each adolescent, two specimens were collected for culturing and examination by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to explore any association with demographic and clinical variables. Results: The prevalence of E. gingivalis was 11.7%. Totally, 30 (15.9%) males and 7 (5.6%) females were infected with E. gingivalis. The rate of infection in males was 2.8 times higher than that in females (P<0.001). Statistical analysis identified 4 major factors including sex (OR=4.12, P<0.001), gingival index with severe inflammation (OR = 50, P<0.001), Candida spp. infection (OR=4.41, P<0.001) and decay-missing- filled teeth [DMFT (OR=3.27, P<0.001)]. In contrast to the aforementioned factors, adolescents with history of antibiotic consumption were significantly protected from E. gingivalis infection (OR= 3.24, P<0.001). Culture media detected 9.2% (n= 29), whilst PCR identified 11.4% (n= 36) of infection. Conclusion: The present findings clearly demonstrate a positive association between E. gingivalis and distinct demographic and clinical risk determinants. Therefore, dental practitioners and health surveillance personnel should be aware of these confounding factors to rigorously detect and critically manage oral health issues in school-age children in order to prevent or at least minimize the eventual periodontal complications in later life.

Study of immunological parameter (ECP) of entamoeba gingivalis in immunocompromised patients with periodontitis in Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf City

“…The total percentage of E.gingivalis in the presented study was 46.25% this nearly similar to Al-Dulaimi et al, 2020 where found Entamoeba gingivalis in Babylon Province was (42.9 %). The results of the current study was much higher than what Rahdar found in his study that conducted in Iran, reported that only 16% of the patients were infected with E. gingivalis The study presented by Ghabanchi et al, 2010 found the prevalence of oral E.gingivalis in southern Iran was (66.7%), while Sharifi et al, 2020 found the prevalence of E. gingivalis was 11.7% also in Southeastern Iran, and this results that reported by Sharifi was much lower than what we found in our study.…”

Entamoeba gingivalis: epidemiology, genetic diversity and association with oral microbiota signatures in North Eastern Tanzania

“…Arene and colleagues observed a decrease in prevalence by age; thus, 22.9% of the 5–10 year-olds were colonized as opposed to only 5.7% of those aged 29 or more [ 20 ]. In the present study, the youngest participant was 17 years, so this cohort could not be used to confirm or challenge the observation by Arene et al A study from Iran found a significantly higher prevalence among men than among women [ 5 ]; however, other studies have failed to identify gender- or age-based differences [ 22 ].…”

“…These vast differences in positivity rates might reflect differences in diagnostic sensitivity among the methods used. In this study, we used DNA-based technology, which offers greater sensitivity than non-DNA-based methods, such as microscopy or culture, also in the case of E. gingivalis [ 5 , 11 ]. More data are needed, but the positivity rate observed in the present study could be a preliminary indication that E. gingivalis might be less common in the background population than in patients with periodontal disease.…”

“…This species is found mainly in the oral cavity, but has also been found in samples from genital tracts of intrauterine contraceptive device users [3]. Transmission occurs via contaminated food or mouth utensils, mouth droplets and kissing [4,5]. E. gingivalis may be a direct or indirect cause of periodontal disease [4,[6][7][8], a condition affecting about 538 million people in 2015 [9], and which is a frequent cause of edentulism.…”

“…A handful of PCR-based surveys of E. gingivalis have been published [4,5,7,[10][11][12], and very limited data exist on the prevalence of E. gingivalis in the background population; such data could serve to further elucidate the role of the parasite in oral health and disease.…”