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Dientamoebiasis: clinical importance and recent advances.
Damien J Stark1, Nigel Beebe, Deborah Marriott
1St Vincent's Hospital, Department of Microbiology, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia. dstark@stvincents.com.au
Trends in Parasitology
|December 29, 2005
Summary
Dientamoeba fragilis, a common cause of chronic diarrhea, is a worldwide human intestinal parasite. New diagnostic tests using PCR offer rapid, sensitive detection and aid in understanding its life cycle and host distribution.
Area of Science:
- Medical Parasitology
- Gastroenterology
- Molecular Diagnostics
Background:
- Dientamoeba fragilis is a single-celled human intestinal parasite, identified globally.
- It is increasingly recognized as a significant cause of chronic diarrhea.
- Recent research indicates the existence of two distinct D. fragilis genotypes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the emergence of Dientamoeba fragilis as a clinically relevant pathogen.
- To introduce novel diagnostic methods for D. fragilis detection.
- To facilitate further research into the parasite's epidemiology and biology.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of conventional and real-time PCR assays.
- Molecular characterization of Dientamoeba fragilis strains.
- Analysis of diagnostic test sensitivity and specificity.
Main Results:
- Established rapid, sensitive, and specific diagnostic tests for D. fragilis.
- Identified two distinct genotypes of the parasite.
- Provided tools for further epidemiological and life cycle studies.
Conclusions:
- Dientamoeba fragilis is a treatable cause of chronic diarrhea.
- Advanced PCR diagnostics enable accurate identification.
- Further research is warranted to fully understand D. fragilis in human health.