Entamoeba coli &

Entamoeba histolytica

Entamoeba coli
A

parasitology survey was conducted among inhabitants of 7

villages in 3 regencies in South Kalimantan Province, Indonesia.
A total of 2,169 stool specimens, 2,756 blood smears and 1,027
serum specimens were obtained, representing samples from
approximately 10%, 12% and 5% of the population, respectively.
One to 8 different intestinal parasitic infections were detected in
97% of the people.
Those parasites most frequently found were Trichuris trichiura
(83%), Ascaris lumbricoides (79%), and hookworm (65%),
followed by Entamoeba coli (37%), Endolimaxnana (12%),
Entamoeba histolytica (12%), Iodamoeba btschlii (11%), Giardia
lamblia (5%), Entamoeba hartmanni (2%), Chilomastix mesnili
(2%).
Source: Parasitology survey and seroepidemiology of amoebiasis
in South Kalimantan (Borneo), Indonesia. Southeast Asian J Trop
Med Public Health. 1975 Mar;6(1):52-60.

Entamoeba coli
A

parasitology survey was conducted in five villages in

North Sumatra, Indonesia. A total of 3,207 blood
smears, 2,066 stool specimens and 969 sera were
examined.
Entamoeba coli (25%) was the most common intestinal
protozoa followed by Endolimax nana (8%),
Entamoeba histolytica (7%), Giardia lamblia (6%),
Iodamoeba btschlii (5%), Entamoeba hartmanni (1%)
and Chilomastix mesnili (1%). The amoeba prevalence
rate was 31 per cent.
Source: Parasitology survey in northern Sumatra,
Indonesia. The Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
[1976, 79(6):123-131]

Entamoeba coli

Cyst of Entamoeba
coli in an
unstained wet
mount. Note the
presence of more
than four nuclei.

Entamoeba coli

Entamoeba coli
The

trophozoites multiply by binary fission and

produce cysts, and both stages are passed in
the feces .
Because of the protection conferred by their cell
walls, the cysts can survive days to weeks in
the external environment and are responsible
for transmission.
Trophozoites passed in the stool are rapidly
destroyed once outside the body, and if
ingested would not survive exposure to the
gastric environment.
Source: CDC

Entamoeba histolytica
Entamoeba

histolytica is well recognized as a pathogenic

ameba, associated with intestinal and extraintestinal
infections.
Worldwide, with higher incidence of amebiasis in developing
countries. In industrialized countries, risk groups include
male homosexuals, travelers and recent immigrants, and
institutionalized populations.
Amebiasis is a disease caused by the parasite Entamoeba
histolytica. It can affect anyone, although it is more
common in people who live in tropical areas with poor
sanitary conditions. Diagnosis can be difficult because other
parasites can look very similar to E. histolytica when seen
under a microscope. Infected people do not always become
sick. If your doctor determines that you are infected and
need treatment, medication is available.
Source: CDC

Entamoeba histolytica

Image: Trophozoites of E. histolytica with ingested

erythrocytes (red blood cells) stained with trichrome.

Entamoeba histolytica

Cyst of E. histolytica/E. dispar stained with trichrome.

Note the chromatoid body with blunt ends (red arrow).

Entamoeba histolytica

Trophozoites of E. histolytica with ingested

erythrocytes stained with trichrome. The ingested
erythrocytes appear as dark inclusions. The parasite
above show nuclei that have the typical small,
centrally located karyosome, and thin, uniform
peripheral chromatin.

Entamoeba histolytica

Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites in colon tissue

stained with H&E.

Entamoeba histolytica

Entamoeba histolytica
Cysts

and trophozoites are passed in feces .

Cysts are typically found in formed stool, whereas
trophozoites are typically found in diarrheal stool.
Infection by Entamoeba histolytica occurs by ingestion of
mature cysts in fecally contaminated food, water, or
hands.
Excystation occurs in the small intestine and trophozoites
are released, which migrate to the large intestine.
The trophozoites multiply by binary fission and produce
cysts , and both stages are passed in the feces . Because
of the protection conferred by their walls, the cysts can
survive days to weeks in the external environment and
are responsible for transmission.

Entamoeba histolytica
Trophozoites

passed in the stool are rapidly destroyed once

outside the body, and if ingested would not survive
exposure to the gastric environment.
In many cases, the trophozoites remain confined to the
intestinal lumen (: noninvasive infection) of individuals who
are asymptomatic carriers, passing cysts in their stool.
In some patients the trophozoites invade the intestinal
mucosa (: intestinal disease), or, through the bloodstream,
extraintestinal sites such as the liver, brain, and lungs (:
extraintestinal disease), with resultant pathologic
manifestations.
Transmission can also occur through exposure to fecal
matter during sexual contact (in which case not only cysts,
but also trophozoites could prove infective).

Entamoeba histolytica
Clinical

Presentation
A wide spectrum, from asymptomatic
infection ("luminal amebiasis"), to
invasive intestinal amebiasis
(dysentery, colitis, appendicitis, toxic
megacolon, amebomas), to invasive
extraintestinal amebiasis (liver
abscess, peritonitis, pleuropulmonary
abscess, cutaneous and genital
amebic lesions).