Name
Greek: entos = inner, amoibos = changing shape, histos = tissue, and lysis = dissolution of tissues.
Geographic Distribution/Epidemiology
These amoebae are found in warm countries all over the world, but are also often imported by travelers and refugees into temperate climatic zones (Fig. 1). More than 500 million humans are constantly infected. Death tolls per year are calculated 75,000–100,000. About 10 % of the world population is constantly endangered.
Distribution map of amoebic dysenteria (WHO)
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Further Reading
Anuar TS et al (2012) Molecular epidemiology of amoebiasis in Malaysia: highlighting the different risk factors of Entamoeba histolytica and E. dispar. Int J Parasitol 42:1165–1175
Anuar TS et al (2013) Evaluation of formalin-ether sedimentation and trichome staining techniques: its effectiveness in detecting Entamoeba histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii in stool samples. J Microbiol Methods 92:344–348
Choudhuri G, Rangan M (2012) Amebic infection in humans. Ind J Gastroenterol 32:153–162
Guzman-Silva MA et al (2013) Experimental amoebic liver abscess in hamsters caused by trophozoites of a Brazilian strain of Entamoeba dispar. Exp Parasitol 134:39–47
Haider SS et al (2013) Blastocystis spp., Cryptosporidium spp. and Entamoeba histolytica exhibit similar symptomatic and epidemiological patterns in healthcare- seeking patients. Parasitol Res 111:1357–1368
Khairnar K, Pariga SC (2007) A novel nested multiplex PCR assay for differential detection of Entamoeba histolytica, E. moshkovskii and E. dispar DNA in stool samples. BMC Microbiol 7:47–57
Meng F et al (2013) Prevalence and genetic diversity of Entamoeba species infecting macaques in Southwest China. Parasitol Res 112:1529–1536
Mortimer L, Chadee K (2010) The immunopathogenesis of Entamoeba histolytica. Exp Parasitol 126:366–380
Ralston RS, Petri WA Jr (2011) Tissue destruction and invasion by Entamoeba histolytica. Trends Parasitol 27:253–262
Ximenez C et al (2009) Reassessment of the epidemiology of amoebiasis: state of art. Infect Genet Evol 9:1023–1032
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this entry
Cite this entry
Mehlhorn, H. (2016). Entamoeba histolytica . In: Mehlhorn, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Parasitology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-43978-4_1060
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-43978-4_1060
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-662-43977-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-662-43978-4
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences