Al-Dalabeeh Elaf Adel, Irshaid Fawzi Irshaid, Roy Shantanu, Ali Ibne Karim M, Al-Shudifat Abdulrahman Mohummad
Pak J Biol Sci. 2020 Jan;23(2):166-172. doi: 10.3923/pjbs.2020.166.172.
Identification of Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica) by microscopy alone can be problematic because E. dispar and E. moshkovskii are morphologically similar to E. histolytica. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the performance of microscopy in the detection of E. histolytica in stool specimens with the help of PCR-based assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Between September, 2017 and September, 2018, 200 stool specimens were obtained from Jordanian patients with suspected amebiasis. All specimens were subjected to microscopic analysis. DNA was extracted from the microscopy-positive stool samples. A conventional PCR and a duplex real-time PCR were performed to detect E. histolytica and E. dispar.
By microscopy, 35% (70/200) of specimens were tested positive for Entamoeba complex. All 70 microscopic-positive Entamoeba complex samples were negative for the presence of E. histolytica by the NOVITEC® E. histolytica ELISA assay. All 70 samples positive by microscopy were negative for the presence of E. histolytica and E. dispar by PCR-based assays.
We suspect some of these microscopy-positive stool specimens might contain a potentially novel species of Entamoeba that could not be detected by ELISA or PCR-based assays specific for E. histolytica and E. dispar. Diagnosis of amebiasis remains challenging here in Jordan and hence highlighting the need for improved diagnostic method.
仅通过显微镜检查来鉴定溶组织内阿米巴（E. histolytica）可能存在问题，因为迪氏内阿米巴（E. dispar）和莫氏内阿米巴（E. moshkovskii）在形态上与溶组织内阿米巴相似。因此，本研究旨在借助基于聚合酶链反应（PCR）的检测方法和酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）来评估显微镜检查在粪便标本中检测溶组织内阿米巴的性能。
2017年9月至2018年9月期间，从约旦疑似阿米巴病患者中获取了200份粪便标本。所有标本均进行显微镜分析。从显微镜检查呈阳性的粪便样本中提取DNA。进行常规PCR和双重实时PCR以检测溶组织内阿米巴和迪氏内阿米巴。
通过显微镜检查，35%（70/200）的标本检测出内阿米巴属复合物呈阳性。通过NOVITEC®溶组织内阿米巴ELISA检测，所有70份显微镜检查呈阳性的内阿米巴属复合物样本均未检测到溶组织内阿米巴。通过基于PCR的检测方法，所有70份显微镜检查呈阳性的样本均未检测到溶组织内阿米巴和迪氏内阿米巴。
我们怀疑这些显微镜检查呈阳性的粪便标本中有些可能含有一种潜在的新型内阿米巴物种，无法通过针对溶组织内阿米巴和迪氏内阿米巴的ELISA或基于PCR的检测方法检测到。在约旦，阿米巴病的诊断仍然具有挑战性，因此凸显了改进诊断方法的必要性。
