Investigación de Entamoeba histolytica en dos Comunidades Ecuatorianas
Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction: Amebiasis is the third leading cause of death from parasitic disease after malaria and schistosomiasis; most morbidity and mortality have been reported in regions of Central and South America, Africa and the Indian subcontinent. However, the prevalence of amebiasis may be overestimated because most reports rely on microscopy which does not differentiate between the pathogenic E. histolytica and the commensal E. dispar. New diagnostic techniques allow the differentiation and contribute to stablish the prevalence of this parasite. \nMethod: A case-control study was conducted in both rural and urban communities and 346 stool samples were analyzed using microscopic techniques and PCR (gene SREHP) in stool samples to identify and differentiate E. histolytica (553 bp) from E. dispar (567 bp). \nResults: Frequency of E. histolytica / E. dispar cysts detected by microscopy was 2.6% for the urban population and 14.4% for the rural population. When analyzed by PCR the frequency was 29% in the urban population and 17.8% of the rural population was positive for any species. In the urban population frequency of E. histolytica was 13% whereas that of E. dispar was 16% (3.5% of the samples had coinfection). In the rural population frequency of E. histolytica was 3.4% and E. dispar was 14.4% and there was not evidence of co-infection. E.histolytica infection was not associated with diarrhea in any of the two communities OR 2.07, CI 95% 0.87-4.89 in the urban population and OR 4.37, CI 95% 0.70-7.24 in the rural population. \nConclusions: Consistent with similar studies in Ecuador and countries with comparable socio- economic characteristics, E. histolytica’s frequency is lower than that of E. dispar in both populations (urban and rural). E. histolytica was not associated with diarrheal disease. The PCR technique may be a more sensitive and specific diagnostic methodology in fecal testing for amebiasis.
Author: Thamara Andrade Mayorga
Language: Spanish
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2339134931