<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The present study was conducted to evaluate the infection rates of <italic>Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar</italic>, and <italic>Entamoeba moshkovskii</italic> among asymptomatic individuals in Erbil City, northern Iraq. The research intent was to discover whether pathogenic or nonpathogenic species cause a high rate of symptomless <italic>Entamoeba</italic> infections. Stool samples were microscopically examined, and the 18S-rRNA gene was targeted utilizing the nested PCR technique in the positive specimens. Initial results based on morphological features showed that the <italic>Entamoeba</italic> prevalence rate was 7.4%. Significantly higher rates of infections were seen in females than in males and in low-income people than in moderate-income people. The incidence rates among the asymptomatic individuals, as determined by molecular analysis, were as follows: <italic>E. histolytica</italic> – 6%, <italic>E. dispar</italic> – 4.3%, and <italic>E. moshkovskii</italic> – 0.3%. Of all the <italic>Entamoeba</italic> positive samples, a single infection with <italic>E. histolytica</italic> was identified in 41.4% samples; the single infection with <italic>E. dispar</italic> in 18.6% samples, 35.7% samples had mixed infections with two <italic>Entamoeba</italic> species, and 4.3% had mixed infections with three species. The current study concluded that 7.4% of healthy people, who live in the endemic area under investigation, carry <italic>Entamoeba</italic> species asymptomatically. Additionally, the majority of asymptomatic <italic>Entamoeba</italic> infections were caused by the pathogenic <italic>E. histolytica</italic> (81.4%) compared to <italic>E. dispar</italic> (58.6%), and <italic>E. moshkovskii</italic> with the lowest rate of infection. Single and co-infections with <italic>E. histolytica</italic> and <italic>E. dispar</italic> were noted. <italic>E. moshkovskii</italic>, which was identified for the first time in the region, was only seen in mixed infections.</p></abstract>

The present study was conducted to evaluate the infection rates of Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar, and Entamoeba moshkovskii among asymptomatic individuals in Erbil City, northern Iraq. The research intent was to discover whether pathogenic or nonpathogenic species cause a high rate of symptomless Entamoeba infections. Stool samples were microscopically examined, and the 18S-rRNA gene was targeted utilizing the nested PCR technique in the positive specimens. Initial results based on morphological features showed that the Entamoeba prevalence rate was 7.4%. Significantly higher rates of infections were seen in females than in males and in low-income people than in moderate-income people. The incidence rates among the asymptomatic individuals, as determined by molecular analysis, were as follows: E. histolytica – 6%, E. dispar – 4.3%, and E. moshkovskii – 0.3%. Of all the Entamoeba positive samples, a single infection with E. histolytica was identified in 41.4% samples; the single infection with E. dispar in 18.6% samples, 35.7% samples had mixed infections with two Entamoeba species, and 4.3% had mixed infections with three species. The current study concluded that 7.4% of healthy people, who live in the endemic area under investigation, carry Entamoeba species asymptomatically. Additionally, the majority of asymptomatic Entamoeba infections were caused by the pathogenic E. histolytica (81.4%) compared to E. dispar (58.6%), and E. moshkovskii with the lowest rate of infection. Single and co-infections with E. histolytica and E. dispar were noted. E. moshkovskii, which was identified for the first time in the region, was only seen in mixed infections.

Molecular Identification and Prevalence of <italic>Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar</italic> and <italic>Entamoeba moshkovskii</italic> in Erbil City, Northern Iraq

Polish Journal of Microbiology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Molecular Identification and Prevalence of  and  in Erbil City, Northern Iraq

The present study was conducted to evaluate the infection rates of Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar, and Entamoeba moshkovskii among asymptomatic...

Molecular Identification and Prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar and Entamoeba moshkovskii in Erbil City, Northern Iraq

Article Category: original-paper

Published Online: Aug 05, 2020

Page range: 263 - 272

Received: Mar 31, 2020

Accepted: Jun 18, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33073/pjm-2020-028

Keywords
epidemiology, asymptomatic infections

© 2020 Shler Akram Faqe Mahmood et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Molecular Identification and Prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar and Entamoeba moshkovskii in Erbil City, Northern Iraq

Article Category: original-paper

Published Online: Aug 05, 2020

Page range: 263 - 272

Received: Mar 31, 2020

Accepted: Jun 18, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33073/pjm-2020-028

Keywordsepidemiology, asymptomatic infections

© 2020 Shler Akram Faqe Mahmood et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
epidemiology, asymptomatic infections