Detection of giardia lamblia and entamoeba histolytica by direct microscopy and pcr in stools specimens

Abstract

Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia are two of the most important diarrhea-causing parasitic protozoa. The morbidity and mortality associated with these intestinal parasitic infections deserve the fast and accurate detection methods to help public health efforts aimed at preventing and controlling of the outbreaks. In this study we assessed the frequency of the two parasites in fecal samples submitted to the Central Parasitology laboratory of Tabriz, Iran. From 2009 to 2010, 1825 fecal samples submitted to the Central Parasitology laboratory of Tabriz were assessed by conventional methods of Light microscopy, Formalin-ether concentration technique, Trichrom staining technique and PCR method. The frequency of Giardia lamblia were 1.3%, 2.5%, 2.5% and 2.6% by methods of microscopy, formalin-ether concentration, Trichrom staining and PCR, respectively and all of the cases were assemblage A. E. histolytica was not found in all the stool samples examined.Fortunately, the frequencies of Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica in our study were less than our expectations. Lack of infection with important pathogen, Entamoeba histolytica, can be a good news for local health care providers. More investigations especially in at risk populations is needed for health policy making.