Seroprevalence of Entamoeba histolytica infection among men who have sex with men in Sydney, Australia

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2010 Oct;83(4):914-6. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2010.10-0231.

Abstract

A retrospective analysis was undertaken to determine the seroprevalence of Entamoeba histolytica infection in Sydney, Australia. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, 429 high risk human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected men who have sex with men (MSM), 446 low risk HIV-uninfected MSM, and 456 HIV-uninfected controls were assessed. Seroprevalence rates were 5.13% for the high risk HIV-infected MSM group, 0.22% for the low risk HIV-uninfected MSM group, and 0.44% for the control group. We found that high risk HIV-infected MSM have a significantly greater seroprevalence of E. histolytica with a relative risk of 22.87, when compared with low risk HIV-uninfected MSM and 11.69 when compared with controls. These findings show that in Sydney, sexually active HIV-infected MSM are at greater risk of developing amoebic disease caused by E. histolytica than HIV-uninfected MSM and the general population.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Entamoeba histolytica / immunology*
  • Entamoeba histolytica / isolation & purification
  • Entamoebiasis / blood
  • Entamoebiasis / complications
  • Entamoebiasis / epidemiology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / complications
  • Homosexuality, Male*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • New South Wales / epidemiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Safe Sex
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Protozoan