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Amebiasis
Amebiasis
Paul R. Earl
Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas
Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León
San Nicolas, NL, Mexico
pearl@dsi.uanl.mx
Amebiasis or amebic dysentary is
caused by the protozoan Entamoeba
histolytica. Improved sanitation and
clean water supply decrease the
incidence of amebiasis. The amount of
chlorine normally used to control
pathogens is inadequate in killing the
cysts. Drinking water can be rendered
safe by boiling or iodination with
tetraglycine hydroperiodide.
Nevertheless, drinking water is usually
not much of the problem.
Generalities.
Amebiasis is an intestinal infection in which
cysts are passed in the feces. Symptoms can
include fever, chills and diarrhea, sometimes
bloody or with mucus and often with
cramps. Some people may have only mild
abdominal discomfort or no symptoms at all.
Symptoms can start 2 or more weeks after
infection. Rarely, trophozoites (the mobile
amebas) may invade the liver, lung or brain,
or perforate the colon causing septicemia.
E. dispar is a nonpathogenic protozoon
morphologically identical to E histolytica.
Previously reported asymptomatic infections
due to the so-called nonpathogenic strains of
E histolytica now are recognized to be due to
E. dispar. These 2 species of Entameba can
be distinguished by monoclonal antibodies.
Other morphologically distinct organisms,
such as Entamoeba coli ( E. coli ! ! ) and
Entamoeba hartmanni are also
nonpathogenic.
Amebiasis is the third leading
parasitic cause of death worldwide,
surpassed only by malaria and
schistosomiasis. On a global basis,
amebiasis affects approximately 50
million persons each year,
resulting in nearly 100,000 deaths.
Laboratory diagnosis.
An iodine-stained cyst of the pathogen Entamoeba
hystolytica with 4 nuclei is illustrated. The
harmless commensal Entamoeba coli has larger
cyts with 8 nuclei. Furthermore, recall that E.
histolytica has a lookalike E. dispars that is
harmless.
The cyst of E histolytica averages 12
m, ranging from 5-20 m. It has 1-4
nuclei that are morphologically similar
to the nuclei of the trophozoite. The
cyst may have iodine-stainable
glycogen clumps and chromatoid
bodies with smooth rounded edges. The
ending –oid means LIKE so chromatoid
bodies are like chromatin in that they
stain with hematoxylin.
Trophozoites
Entamoeba coli Entamoeba histolytica
15 m - 40 m in size 10 m - 35 m size
Nondirectional motility Unidirectional motility
Multiple pseudopodia Single pseudopodia
No ingested erythrocytes Ingested erythrocytes
Cytoplasm rough looking Finely granular cytoplasm
Large, eccentric karyosome Small, central karyosome
Clumped nuclear chromatin Finely beaded chromatin
Cysts