Torres, Clarisse May D.

Amoebae-Trophozoites

NUCLEUS CYTOPLASM

Peripheral Karyosomal
Species Size (Length) Motility Number Appearance Inclusions
Chromatin Chromatin

Entamoeba histolytica 10-60 mm. Usual Progressive with 1 Fine granules. Usually Small, discrete. Finely qranular. Red blood cells
range, 15-20 mm hyaline, finger-like Not visible in unstained evenly distributed and Usually centrally occasionally.
commensal form.1 pseudopods. preparations. uniform in size. located, but Noninvasive organisms
Over 20 mm invasive occasionally is may contain bacteria.
form.2 eccentric.

Entamoeba hartmanni 5-12mm. Usual range, Usually nonprogressive 1 Similar to Small, discrete, often Finely granular. Bacteria.
8-10 mm. but may be Not visible in unstained E. histolytica. eccentric.
progressive preparations.
occasionally.

Entamoeba coli 15-50mm. Usual Sluggish, 1 Coarse granules, Large, discrete, usually Coarse, often Bacteria, yeasts, other
range, 20-25 mm. nonprogressive, with Often visible in irregular in size and eccentric. vacuolated. materials.
blunt pseudopods. unstained distribution.
preparations.

Entamoeba polecki 10-25mm. Usual Usually sluggish, 1 Usually fine granules Small, discrete, Coarsely, granular, Bacteria, yeasts.
range, 15-20 mm. similar to E. coli. May be slightly visible evenly distributed. eccentric. may resemble E. coli.
Occasionally, in in unstained Occasionally granules Occasionally large, Contains numerous
diarrheic specimens, preparations. may be irregularly diffuse or irregular. vacuoles.
motility may be Occasionally may be arranged. Chromatin
progressive. irregularly distorted by sometimes in plaques
pressure from vacuoles or crescents.
in cytoplasm.

Endolimax nana 6-12 mm. Usual Sluggish, usually 1 None. Large, irregularly Granular, vacuolated. Bacteria.
range, 8-10 mm. nonprogressive with Visible occasionally in shaped, blot-like.
blunt pseudopods. unstained
preparations.

Iodamoeba buetschlii 8-20 mm. Usual Sluggish, usually 1 None. Large, usually central. Coarsely granular, Bacteria, yeasts, or
range, 12-15 mm. nonprogressive. Not usually visible in Surrounded by vacuolated. other material.
unstained refractile, achromatic
preparations. granules. These
granules are often not
distinct even in stained
slides.

Dientamoeba fragilis3 5-15 mm. Usual Pseudopods are 2 None. Large cluster of 4-8 Finely, qranular. Bacteria: occasionally
range, 9-12 mm. angular, serrated, or (In approximately 20% granules. red blood cells.
broad lobed, and of organisms only 1
hyaline, almost nucleus is present.)
transparent. Nuclei invisible in
unstained
preparations.