Detection of <i>Entamoeba histolytica</i> DNA in the Saliva of Amoebic Liver Abscess Patients Who Received Prior Treatment with Metronidazole

Abstract

Saliva is an easily-accessible and a non-invasive clinical specimen alternate to blood and liver pus. An at­tempt was made to detect Entamoeba histolytica DNA released in the saliva of amoebic liver abscess (ALA) patients by applying 16S-like rRNA gene-based nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (NM-PCR). The NM-PCR detected E. histolytica DNA in the saliva of eight (28.6%) of 28 ALA patients. The NM-PCR result was negative for E. histolytica DNA in the saliva of all the eight ALA patients who were tested prior to treat­ment with metronidazole but was positive in the saliva of eight (40%) of 20 ALA patient who were tested after therapy with metronidazole. The NM-PCR detected E. histolytica DNA in liver abscess pus of all 28 (100%) patients with ALA. The TechLab E. histolytica II enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was positive for E. histolytica Gal/GalNAc lectin antigen in the liver abscess pus of 13 (46.4%) of the 28 ALA patients. The indirect haemagglutination (IHA) test was positive for anti-amoebic antibodies in the serum of 22 (78.6%) of the 28 ALA patients and 2 (5.7%) of 35 healthy controls. The present study, for the first time, demonstrates the release of E. histolytica DNA in the saliva of ALA patients by applying NM-PCR.

Key words: Amoebiasis; DNA; Entamoeba histolytica; Metronidazole; Polymerase chain reaction; Saliva; India

doi:10.3329/jhpn.v26i4.1883

J Health Popul Nutr 2008 Dec:26(4):418-425