[An in vitro model for the quantitative study of E. histolytica virulence]

An experimental model for the quantitative study of the cytopathic effect of E. histolytica is described. Confluent cultures of the MDCK cell line, which form a monolayer with morphological and electrophysiological features of an epithelium were used. Trophozoites of the strains HM1:IMSS, HM2:IMSS and HM3:IMSS, axenic produced variable degrees of cytopathic effects of MDCK cultures each one characteristic for a given strain. The degree of damage induced by the different strains of amebas was measured quantitatively. The results demonstrate that the degree of the cytopathic effect produced in vitro by the various strains tested correlates with the virulence shown in vivo by the same strains, judged as the size of the inoculum required to induce liver cytopathic effect in newborn hamsters.