Detection of serum antibody to Entameba histolytica in various population samples of amebic infection using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Microscopic identification of Entameba histolytica in stool is insensitive to differentiate this pathogenic ameba from morphologically identical Entameba dispar. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method was applied for diagnosing amebiasis by detection of E. histolytica antibody. A total of 258 sample sera were analyzed from five different groups including amebiasis patients, E. histolytica/E. dispar asymptomatic cyst carriers, patients clinically presumed to have intestinal and extra-intestinal amebiasis and healthy control. From 51 E. histolytica/E. dispar cysts passers identified by microscopy and culture, a positive anti-amebic antibody was measured only for eight specimens (15.6%) and 43 cyst carriers showed an absorbance less than cut-off likely due to E. dispar infection. These findings suggest usefulness of ELISA method in differentiation of Entameba species, in clinical laboratories less equipped with biological and biochemical methods or antigen capture kits.