ENTAMOEBA-HISTOLYTICA AND ENTAMOEBA DISPAR INFECTION IN CHILDREN IN BANGLADESH

The prevalence of infection by the invasive parasite Entamoeba histoly tica and the noninvasive parasite Entamoeba dispar was determined in 2 000 children in Bangladesh. Antigen detection identified more cases of E. histolytica-E. dispar infection than did culture or microscopy. Mi croscopic identification of E. histolytica-E. dispar complex infection in stool did not equate with the diagnosis of amebic dysentery becaus e most amebic infections in this population were due to E. dispar: Urb an children with diarrhea had a 4.2% prevalence of E. histolytica infe ction and a 6.5% prevalence of E. dispar infection; rural asymptomatic children had a 1.0% prevalence of E. histolytica infection and a 7.0% prevalence of E. dispar infection. Shigella dysenteriae and Shigella flexneri infections were more frequent in children who also had Entamo eba infection, a potentially important consideration for the empiric t reatment of dysentery in this population.