Korean J Parasitol.  2013 Apr;51(2):231-236. 10.3347/kjp.2013.51.2.231.

Different Clinical Outcomes of Entamoeba histolytica in Malaysia: Does Genetic Diversity Exist?

• Anuar TS
• Al-Mekhlafi HM
• Abdul Ghani MK
• Azreen SN
• Salleh FM
• Ghazali N
• Bernadus M
• Moktar N

• KMID: 1499704
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2013.51.2.231

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the clinical outcomes of Entamoeba histolytica infection in symptomatic and asymptomatic Orang Asli (aborigine) communities in Malaysia. Examination was performed on 500 stool samples obtained from Orang Asli communities in 3 different states using formalin-ether concentration, trichrome staining, and single-round PCR techniques. Out of 500 stool samples, single infection of E. histolytica, Entamoeba dispar, and Entamoeba moshkovskii was identified in 3.2%, 13.4%, and 1%, respectively. In addition, 10 samples had mixed infections with E. histolytica and E. dispar. Six samples containing E. dispar were also positive for E. moshkovskii, and only 2 samples had E. histolytica in association with E. dispar and E. moshkovskii. Seventeen E. histolytica-positive samples were from symptomatic subjects, whereas the remaining 11 samples came from asymptomatic subjects. These findings suggest a predominant distribution of pathogenic potential of E. histolytica strains in this community. Therefore, further studies on genotyping of E. histolytica is required, to find out association between E. histolytica genotype and the outcome of the infection.

Keyword

Entamoeba histolytica; symptomatic; asymptomatic; clinical outcome; genetic diversity; Malaysia

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Asymptomatic Diseases
Child
Child, Preschool
Coinfection/parasitology/pathology
Entamoeba/*classification/isolation & purification/*pathogenicity
Entamoebiasis/parasitology/*pathology
Feces/parasitology
Female
*Genetic Variation
Humans
Malaysia
Male
Middle Aged
Treatment Outcome