Salabao, Miccah Ysabel L.

(BS BIOLOGY4A)

Laboratory Activity 1 (PARASITOLOGY)

Amoeba

c. Laboratory Diagnosis

Microscopic identification of cysts and trophozoites in the stool is the common method for diagnosing  E.
histolytica. This can be accomplished using:

 Fresh stool: wet mounts and permanently stained preparations (e.g., trichrome).
 Concentrates from fresh stool: wet mounts, with or without iodine stain, and permanently
stained preparations (e.g., trichrome). Concentration procedures, however, are not useful for
demonstrating trophozoites.
In addition, E. histolytica trophozoites can also be identified in aspirates or biopsy samples obtained
during colonoscopy or surgery.

d. Epidemiology
Transmission can occur through fecal-oral route (ingestion of food and water, contaminated with feces
containing E. histolytica cysts). Sexual transmission can also occur

e. Prevention and Control

Containment requirements: Containment Level 2 facilities, equipment, and operational practices for
work involving infectious or potentially infectious materials, animals, or cultures.
Protective clothing: Lab coat. Gloves when direct skin contact with infected materials or animals is
unavoidable. Eye protection must be used where there is a known or potential risk of exposure to
splashes.
Other precautions: All procedures that may produce aerosols, or involve high concentrations or large
volumes should be conducted in a biological safety cabinet (BSC). The use of needles, syringes, and
other sharp objects should be strictly limited. Additional precautions should be considered with work
involving animals or large-scale activities.

f. Pathology
Asymptomatic patients carrying the pathogen can be treated with luminal amebicides (kills cysts) such
as oral paromomycin, oral diloxanide furoate, and oral iodoquinol. Amebic dysentery/colitis or amebic
abscess can be treated with tissue amebicides (kills trophozoites) such as oral metronidazole, or oral
tinidazole. Oral paromomycin, diloxanidfuroate or iodoquinol are prescribed for elimination of cysts
following treatment with tissue amebicides. Therapeutic aspiration/drainage of an amebic liver may be
required, alone or along with antiparasitic therapy, in patients who do not respond to therapy.

References:

https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/amebiasis/index.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/laboratory-biosafety-biosecurity/pathogen-safety-
data-sheets-risk-assessment/entamoeba-histolytica-pathogen-safety-data-sheet.html