LAUSR

Amebiasis infection is caused by Entamoeba histolytica. The nonpathogenic Entamoeba species, E. moshkovskii and E. dispar, are distinct but morphologically indifferentiable from E. histolytica, which led us to use of multiplex PCR to detect and molecularly differentiate Entamoeba species in fecal samples of a cohort of 504 diarrheic/dysenteric Egyptians attending outpatient clinics of the Beni-Suef University Hospital. E. moshkovskii was detected for the first time in Egypt, added to already reported E. histolytica and E. dispar. Molecular prevalence of all Entamoeba species was 10%. E. histolytica (1.4%) was the least prevalent Entamoeba, 6 times less than nonpathogenic amoebae (7.9%), E. dispar (4.6%), and E. moshkovskii (3.3%). Entamoeba coinfection was found in 0.8% of cases. Coproscopy had a limited diagnostic performance for the diagnosis of E. histolytica, giving false-positive and false-negative results. Use of molecular assays, a laboratory non-coproscopic method, is preferable as it differentiates amoeba infections and monitors the E. histolytica true prevalence for better treatment and effective control.