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Clinical Microbiology Reviews, October 2003, p. 713-729, Vol. 16, No. 4
0893-8512/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/CMR.16.4.713-729.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Laboratory Diagnosis of Amebiasis

Mehmet Tanyuksel1 and William A. Petri Jr.2*

Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Etlik, Ankara 06018, Turkey,1 Department of Internal Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908-13402

The detection of Entamoeba histolytica, the causative agent of amebiasis, is an important goal of the clinical microbiology laboratory. To assess the scope of E. histolytica infection, it is necessary to utilize accurate diagnostic tools. As more is discovered about the molecular and cell biology of E. histolytica, there is great potential for further understanding the pathogenesis of amebiasis. Molecular biology-based diagnosis may become the technique of choice in the future because establishment of these protozoa in culture is still not a routine clinical laboratory process. In all cases, combination of serologic tests with detection of the parasite (by antigen detection or PCR) offers the best approach to diagnosis, while PCR techniques remain impractical in many developing country settings. The detection of amebic markers in serum in patients with amebic colitis and liver abscess appears promising but is still only a research tool. On the other hand, stool antigen detection tests offer a practical, sensitive, and specific way for the clinical laboratory to detect intestinal E. histolytica. All the current tests suffer from the fact that the antigens detected are denatured by fixation of the stool specimen, limiting testing to fresh or frozen samples.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia Health System, MR4 Building, room 2115, Lane Rd., P.O. Box 801340, Charlottesville, VA 22908-1340. Phone: (434) 924-5621. Fax: (434) 924-0075. E-mail: wap3g{at}virginia.edu.

Clinical Microbiology Reviews, October 2003, p. 713-729, Vol. 16, No. 4
0893-8512/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/CMR.16.4.713-729.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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