[Detection of pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica DNA in liver abscess aspirates with polymerase chain reaction].

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to diagnose amebic liver abscess by detecting pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica DNA in liver aspirates from patients with liver abscess. Oligonucleotide primers specific for gene encoding of the 30,000 molecule of pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica were used in the test. Liver aspirates from 23 cases with amebic liver abscess as evidenced by typical clinical findings or very high titres of anti-E. Histolytica antibodies with ELISA were found to be positive with PCR. Fourteen control samples (3 cases of bacterial liver abscess, 1 of liver cancer and 10 of abscess in other sites) were all negative to PCR. The results suggest that PCR is a sensitive and useful method for diagnosing amebic liver abscess.