Counterimmunoelectrophoresis in the immunodiagnosis of amoebiasis

Counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) detection of antiamoebic antibodies in the patients' sera, has been carried out and correlated with the routine diagnostic microscopic examination of stool and pus samples. The clinically suspected amoebiasis cases were divided into two main groups, (i) proved positive for Entamoeba histolytica as detected by microscopic examination of samples, and (ii) negative for the parasite. A total 153 cases of intestinal amoebiasis were studied. CIE was positive in 27 of the 84 proved cases, and in 12 out of 69 unproved cases showing negative microscopy. A total of 59 cases of amoebic liver abscess (ALA) were studied, of which CIE was positive in 20 of the 30 proved cases of ALA and in 4 of the 29 unproved cases. Sera from patients with non-amoebic illness (n = 48) gave negative results with CIE. Similarly sera from normal healthy controls (NHC) (n = 100) and asymptomatic cyst passers (n = 75) were negative by CIE.