Diagnostic potentials of copro-antigen detection based ELISA, compared to microscopy in intestinal amoebiasis.

Ninety three patients clinically presumed to have intestinal amoebiasis were chosen and stool samples were collected from all of them. Stool samples were subjected to microscopic examination and Entamoeba copro-antigens detection using Entamoeba and Entamoeba II tests. Out of 93 clinically positive samples, 51 (54.8%) were found positive by microscopy, while 49 (52.7%) were detected by Entamoeba test as having antigens specific for E. histolytica/E. dispar (88.24% sensitivity). Among 49 specimens, 4 were demonstrated as microscopy negative (90.48% specificity). Entamoeba II test demonstrated 16 specimens having antigens specific for the pathogenic E. histolytica among 49 positive by Entamoeba test, while 33 were detected as positive for nonpathogenic E. dispar copro-antigens. Copro-antigen assay using ELISA has shown to be more sensitive and specific than microscopy in different-tiation between pathogenic and nonpathogenic Entamoeba species. Extensive use of this technique allowed for revising the epidemiology of the true pathogenic E. histolytica and obviate the need for unnecessary chemotherapy with its costs and risk of side effects.