Open-access Prevalence and pathogenicity of Entamoeba histolytica in three different regions of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil

Prevalência e patogenicidade da Entamoeba histolytica em três regiões diferentes do estado de Pernambuco, Nordeste Brasileiro

Parasitological examinations were carried out on 663 individuals of three different cities of Pernambuco State, Northeastern Brazil: Recife, Palmares and Bodocó. The population from a drought area of Pernambuco State, Bodocó, was investigated for amoebiasis and compared with Recife, metropolitan city (about 1.3 million of inhabitants) and another inland community, Palmares, located inside of the sugar-cane plantation region of the State. No evidence of invasive strains of E. histolytica were found in these inhabitants, provided that the isolated zymodemes I, III, IV, VIII, IX, X, XVII and XVIII are recognized as nonpathogenic strains of E. histolytica. Furthermore, the prevalence of intestinal helminths and other protozoan infections showed that these individuals are infected by other agents responsible for diarrhoeal diseases.

Entamoeba histolytica; Protozoan pathogenicity; Amebiasis; Northeast Brazil


location_on
Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 470, 05403-000 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil, Tel. +55 11 3061-7005 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: revimtsp@usp.br
rss_feed Stay informed of issues for this journal through your RSS reader
Acessibilidade / Reportar erro