Objective: The study aimed to identify Entamoeba histolytica, E. dispar, and E. moshkoviskii isolated from patients with disturbance gastrointestinal and to compare that to Real-Time PCR technique and microscopic examination results.
Methods: 142 stool samples were obtained from patients suffering from gastrointestinal disorders, abdominal pain, and diarrhea and visiting Afak General Hospital and some civil diagnostic laboratories in the city during the period June to October 2015. The patients age ranged from 1-73 years and for both sexes.
Results: Microscopic examination results revealed that 66 samples contained the Entamoeba parasite with a percentage of (46.48%) while it is isolated with a percentage of (51.41%) 73 samples when examining the same samples using the RT-PCR technique. Molecular examination results proved the presence of three species of the genus Entamoeba, which are E. Histolytica, E. dispar, and E. moshkoviskii in single and mixed infections. The highest infection percentage of E. dispar reached (72.6%), distributed to (56.16%) of single-type infections and (16.44%) of mixed-type infections (E. dispar + E. histolytica and E. dispar, + E. moshkoviskii ), followed by E. histolytica with a percentage of (41.1%), distributed to (26.03%) of single-type infections and (15.07%) of mixed-type infections, then of species E. moshkoviskii with a percentage of (2.74%) in single and mixed infections.
Conclusion: Real-Time PCR technique revealed high sensitivity in the examination of samples positive for microscopy at a percentage of (92.42%), which confirms that the identification of Amoebiasis utilizing molecular techniques is useful not only in terms of diagnosis of Entamoeba spp but also in epidemiological studies of Amoebiasis by avoiding possible microscopic examination mistakes.
