DIFFERENTIATION OF ENTAMOEBA-HISTOLYTICA AND ENTAMOEBA DISPAR INFECTIONS

In this article, Terry Jackson and Jonathan Ravdin briefly review the latest information on monoclonal antibody-based ELISAs that use antige n capture as a tool in the differential detection of human infection w ith Entamoeba histolytica and E. dispar. Current technology of culture and isoenzyme analysis is not widely available, is cumbersome and too time-consuming. A further potential benefit of antigen antigen detect ion tests is that they can be used to monitor the efficacy of therapy; this is a shortcoming of serological tests owing to the persistence o f the antibody response after successful treatment.