Altered lipid parameters in patients infected with Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar and Giardia lamblia

Information on the effect of parasitic infections on lipid parameters is scarce. Certain parasites induce significant changes in lipid parameters, as demonstrated by the fact that substitution of lipid/cholesterol for serum in axenic culture medium (in vitro) and in experimental models (in vivo) supports vigorous growth of Entamoeba histolytica. Thus, significant changes in lipid parameters may be induced in an infected host. Blood samples are obtained from intestinal amoebiasis patients passing E. histolytica (n=8), E. dispar (n=15) or Giardia lamblia (n=9) cysts, or diagnosed with amoebic liver abscess (ALA; n=50) and from apparently normal healthy individuals (control group; n=30). Levels of total serum cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein are assessed using commercial kits. E. histolytica and E. dispar isolates are differentiated by hexokinase isoenzyme electrophoresis and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; Techlab) tests. Results show that E. histolytica, E. dispar and G. lamblia cyst passers had significantly lower levels of total serum cholesterol (73.42 +/- 2.24 mg/dL), compared to levels in ALA cases (101 +/- 2.85 mg/dL) and in controls (166.26 +/- 2.02 mg/dL). Further study of a greater number of cases is needed to explore the relevance of this finding.