Nonpathogenic/commonsal

Amoeba
 Entamoeba coli

• Trophozoite
– 20–50 μm larger than E. histolytica
– sluggish motility
– contains ingested bacteria but no RBCs
– Nucleus is clearly visible in unstained films
– has a large eccentric karyosome
• Cysts
– large, 10–30 μm in size
– a prominent glycogen mass in the early stage
– chromatoid bodies are
splinterlike and irregular
– mature cyst has 8 nuclei
 Entamoeba hartmanni

• Mmuch smaller than E.

histolytica
• Trophozoite
– 4–12 μm
– No RBCs
– less vigorous motility
• Cyst
– 5–10 μm
– 4 nuclei (mature)
– Blunt chromatoid bodies
– CB persist in mature cyst
 Endolimax nana

• Trophozoite
– 8 -10μm
– sluggish motility with blunt
pseudopodia
– Single nucleus occasionally visible
in unstained preparations
– Ingest bacteria
• Cyst
– small, oval, & quadrinucleate
– glyocgen mass & chromidial bars,
are inconspicuous or absent
Iodamoeba buetschlii
• Trophozoite
– small, 6–12 μm
– conspicuous nucleus
– prominent karyosome is half the size
of the nucleus,
• bull’s eye appearance
• Cyst
– oval, uniucleate
– prominent iodine staining glycogen
mass (iodophilic body)
• the name ‘Iodamoeba’
 Entamoeba gingivalis

• Only the trophozoite is found

• Trophozoite
– 10–20 μm, actively motile with
multiple pseudopodia
– cytoplasm contains food vacuoles
with ingested bacteria, leuocytes,
and epithelial cells
– lives in gingival tissues and is
abundant in unhygienic mouths
– It is transmitted by direct oral
contact
 Differential Features of Intestinal Entamoebae
E.histolytica E.coli E.hartmani
Trophozoit
es
Size (μm) 12–60 20–50 4–12
Motility Active Sluggish Active
Pseudopo Finger-shaped, Short, blunt Finger-shaped, rapidly
dia rapidly extruded slowly extruded extruded
Cytoplasm Clearly defined into Differentiation, Clearly defined into
ectoplasm not distinct ectoplasm
and endoplasm and endoplasm
Inclusions RBCs present, no Bacteria and other Bacteria and other
bacteria particles, no RBCs particles, no RBCs
Nucleus Not clearly visible in Visible in Not visible in unstained
unstained unstained films films
films
Karyosom Small, central Large, eccentric Small, eccentric
e
 E.histolytica E.coli E.hartmani
Cysts
Size (μm) 10–15 10–30 5–10

Nuclei in 4 8 4
mature
cyst
Glycogen Seen in Seen up to Seen in
mass uninucleate, but quadrinucleate uninucleate, but
not in quadri stage not in quadi
nucleate stage nucleate stage
Chromidi 1–4 with crounded Splinter like Many with
al ends with irregular shape
angular ends
 E.ploecki E.nana I.buetschlii
Trophozoites
Size (μm) 10-25 6-12 8-20
Motility Usually Sluggish Sluggish
sluggish
Pseudopodia Slightly blunt Blunt Finger-shaped
Cytoplasm Coarsely Granular, Coarsely granular,
Granular, vacuolated vacuolated vacuolated
Inclusions Bacteria, yeasts Bacteria Bacteria, yeasts
Nucleus Slightly visible in Visible occasionally Not visible in unstained
unstained in unstained films
preparations preparations
Karyosome Small, eccentric Large, irregularly Large, usually
Shaped centrally located