Correspondence should be sent to:
Dr. C. Graham Clark, Department of Medical Parasitology, London School of
Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, England, G.B.
OR: Dra. Martha Espinosa Cantellano, Departamento de Patología
Experimental, CINVESTAV- IPN, Aptdo. Postal 14-740, CP 07000 México
D.F., México
Entamoeba on the World Wide Web
Work is in progress to develop a web site for Entamoeba researchers. It is envisioned that this site will include: basic information about the organisms, laboratory methods (cultivation, diagnosis, etc.), back issues of this Newsletter, lists of references grouped by year of publication, contact information for amebiasis researchers, links to other web sites where pictures and information on Entamoeba are available, and links to journals and other information of general interest.
At the moment, the contact information for individuals to be included is based on the directory information provided by subscribers to this Newsletter. If any readers of this Newsletter DO NOT want some or all of their contact information made available on the proposed web site, please let Graham Clark know and your entry will be removed. Otherwise it will be assumed that you have no objection to being included. Likewise, if your Directory information needs to be updated, please do so now.
We are also interested in hearing from amebiasis researchers who would like to have links to their home pages or other relevant sites included. Additionally, we are willing to consider including methods of general interest. In particular, we would like to include methods of serodiagnosis and isoenzyme analysis. We look forward to hearing from some volunteers to write these and other sections!
Antigen Detection Kit Available
The following offer has been communicated by Dr. William A. Petri, Jr.:
"The antigen detection kit specific for Entamoeba histolytica is available free of charge for epidemiologic research use. Please contact either Dr. William Petri at the University of Virginia (wap3g@virginia.edu) or Dr. David Lyerly at TechLab, Inc. (techlab@bev.net).
A reference for the use of the kit is: Haque R, Faruque ASG, Hahn P, Lyerly DM, Petri WA Jr. Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar infection in children in Bangladesh. J Infect Dis 1997; 175:734-6."
In addition, Dr. Petri can be contacted at: Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, MR4 Room 2115, HSC, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA, FAX Number : ++804-924-0075;
and Dr. Lyerly at: TechLab, 1861 Pratt Drive, Corporate Research Center, Blacksburg, VA 24060, FAX (540) 231-3942
Dr. Carlos Argüello
It is with great sorrow that I inform you of the death of Dr. Carlos Argüello López on May 22nd, 1997. A great scientist, teacher, tutor and friend, he spent his last 20 years at CINVESTAV collaborating, along with projects of his own, on several studies on the cell biology of Entamoeba histolytica. His enthusiasm for science, his calm personality, and his kindness towards colleagues and students alike gave him a privileged position in our hearts. We will miss his guidance and the unselfish dedication of his time to listen to personal as well as academic problems and to giving his best advice. Rest in peace, Dr. Argüello.
M.E.
WHO/PAHO/UNESCO Consultation of Experts on Amoebiasis
For your information, the report of the Consultation of Experts on Amoebiasis held on January 28th-29th, 1997 has been published in the Weekly Epidemiological Report of the WHO (Volume 72, number 14, pages 97-99, 4 April 1997). The text can also be accessed on the internet at: http://www.who.ch/wer/72_1_26.htm
Recent Publications in Amebiasis
Baez Camargo, M., Sanchez, T., Solis, F., Rodriguez, M.A., Contreras, G., Chavez, P., Riveron, A.M. & Orozco, E. (1997) Cytoplasmic DNA in Entamoeba histolytica: Its biological significance. Arch. Med. Res. 28: 5-9.
Baribwira, C., Makoroka, C., Moreno, J.L., Nduwimana, M., Niyungeko, D. & Ndarugirire, F. (1997) [Amebic abscess of the liver in a seven-month-old (in French)]. Annales de Pediatrie 44: 139-141.
Barral de Martinez, A.M., Gomes, M.A., Viana, J.da C., Romanha, A.J. & Silva, E.F. (1996) Isoenzyme profile as parameter to differentiate pathogenic strains of Entamoeba histolytica in Brazil. Rev. Inst. Med. Trop. São Paulo 38: 407-412.
Bayramicli, O.U., Dalay, R., Konuksal, F., Kilic, G., Akbayir, N. & Ovunc, O. (1997) [Coexistence of ulcerative colitis and amebiasis (in Turkish)]. Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology 8: 94-96.
Britten, D., Wilson, S.N., McNerney, R., Moody, A.H., Chiodini, P.L. & Ackers, J.P. . (1997) An improved colorimetric PCR-based method for detection and differentiation of Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar in feces. J. Clin Microbiol. 35: 1108-1111.
Campbell, D. & Chadee, K. (1997) Interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and Tumor Necrosis Factor-{alpha} responses during Entamoeba histolytica liver abscess development in gerbils. J. Infect. Dis. 175: 1176-1183.
Cheng, X.J., Kaneda, Y. & Tachibana, H. (1997) A monoclonal antibody against the 150-kDa surface antigen of Entamoeba histolytica inhibits adherence and cytotoxicity to mammalian cells. Med. Sci. Res. 25: 159-161.
Clark, C.G. & Diamond, L.S. (1997) Intraspecific variation and phylogenetic relationships in the genus Entamoeba as revealed by riboprinting. J. Euk. Microbiol. 44: 142-154.
Das, P., Das, S.R., Moorji, A. & Baer, H.P. (1997) Characterization of nucleoside uptake and transport in Entamoeba histolytica. Parasitol. Res. 83: 364-369.
de la Vega, H., Specht, C.A., Semino, C.E., Robbins, P.W., Eichinger, D., Caplivski, D., Ghosh, S. & Samuelson, J. (1997) Cloning and expression of chintinases of Entamoebae. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 85: 139-147.
Flores-Romo, L., Estrada-García, T., Shibayama-Salas, M., Campos-Rodríguez, R., Bacon, K., Martínez-Palomo, A. & Tsutsumi, V. (1997) In vitro Entamoeba histolytica adhesion to endothelium: a comparison using two strains of different virulence. Parasitol. Res. 83: 397-400.
Gutierrez Kobeh, L., Cabrera, N. & Perez Montfort, R. (1997) A mechanism of acquired resistance to complement-mediated lysis by Entamoeba histolytica. J. Parasitol. 83: 234-241.
Haburchak, D.R. & Felz, M.W. (1997) Diseases associated with foreign travel. Comprehensive Therapy 23: 19-24.
Hashmey, R., Genta, R.M. & White, A.C., Jr. (1997) Parasites and diarrhea I: Protozoans and diarrhea. J. Travel Med. 4: 17-31.
Hendricks, M.K., Moore, S.W. & Millar, A.J.W. (1997) Epidemiological aspects of liver abscesses in children in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. J. Trop. Pediatr. 43: 103-105.
Hidalgo, M.E., Sanchez, R., Perez, D.G., Rodriguez, M.A., Garcia, J. & Orozco, E. (1997) Molecular characterization of the Entamoeba histolytica enolase gene and modelling of the predicted protein. FEMS Microbiol. Letts. 148: 123-129.
Kassahun, W., Steinert, M., Schwokowski, C., Petzold, A. & Emmrich, P. (1997) [Amoebic colitis and amoebic liver abscess: Epidemiology and case report (in German)]. Zentralblatt für Chirurgie 122: 197-200.
Kendler, J.S. & Soave, R. (1997) Parasitic infections of the gastrointestinal tract. Curr. Opinion Gastroenterol. 13: 64-70.
Kotiyan Pramila, N. & Shrivastava, R. (1996) Formulation of secnidazole pellets for improved therapy in intestinal amoebiasis. Indian Drugs 33: 563-564.
Kraoul, L., Adjmi, H., Lavarde, V., Pays, J.F., Tourte-Schaefer, C. & Hennequin, C. . (1997) Evaluation of a rapid enzyme immunoassay for diagnosis of hepatic amoebiasis. J. Clin. Microbiol. 35: 1530-1532.
Lee, M. & Hong, S.-T. (1996) Differentiation of Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar in cyst-passers by immunoblot. Korean J. Parasitol. 34: 247-254.
León, G., Fiori, C., Das, P., Moreno, M., Tovar, R., Sánchez-Salas, J.L. & Muñoz, M.d.L. (1997) Electron probe analysis and biochemical characterization of electron-dense granules secreted by Entamoeba histolytica. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 85: 233-242.
Leroy, A., Noe, V., Mareel, M. & Nelis, H. (1997) Glycoconjugate cross-talk in metastatic cancer cells, leucocytes, parasites and bacteria. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 25: 228-234.
Lotter, H., Zhang, T., Seydel, K.B., Stanley, S.L., Jr. & Tannich, E. (1997) Identification of an epitope on the Entamoeba histolytica 170-kD lectin conferring antibody-mediated protection against invasive amebiasis. J. Exp. Med. 185: 1793-1801.
Mann, B.J., Burkholder, B.V. & Lockhart, L.A. (1997) Protection in a gerbil model of amebiasis by oral immunization with Salmonella expressing the galactose N-acetyl D-galactosamine inhibitable lectin of Entamoeba histolytica. Vaccine 15: 659-663.
Matowicka-Karna, J. & Panasiuk, A. (1996) Does anti-parasitic treatment normalize platelets morphology in patients infested with Entamoeba histolytca? Rocz. Akad. Med. Bialymst. 41: 258-267.
Mergo, P.J. & Ros, P.R. (1997) MR imaging of inflammatory disease of the liver. Magnetic Resonance Imaging Clinics of North America 5: 367-376.
Merran, S. (1997) [Amebic abscess of the liver (in French)]. Presse Medicale 26: 788.
Misra, S.P., Dwivedi, M., Misra, V. & Keswani, N.K. (1997) Amoebic liver abscess communicating with intrahepatic bile ducts. Tropical Doctor 27: 181-182.
Moody, S., Becker, S., Nuchamowitz, Y. & Mirelman, D. (1997) Virulent and avirulent Entamoeba histolytica and E. dispar differ in their cell surface phosphorylated glycolipids. Parasitology 114: 95-104.
Nanivadekar, S. & Kamat, N. (1997) Is there a rationale for fixed-dose antibiotic-antiamebic drug combinations in diarrhea? Indian J. Gastroenterol. 16: 76-77.
Navarro Garcia, F., Lopez Revilla, R., Vega Lopez, M.A., Dominguez Robles, M.C., Enriquez Rincon, F. & Tsutsumi, V. (1997) Intragastric immunization of rats with Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites induces cecal mucosal IgE, eosinophilic infiltration, and type I hypersensitivity. Clin. Immunol. Immunopathol. 82: 221-229.
Nopdonrattakoon, L. (1996) Amoebiasis of the female genital tract. J. Obstet. Gynaecol. Res. 22: 235-238.
Orozco, E., Gharaibeh, R., Riveron, A.M., Delgadillo, D.M., Mercado, M., Sanchez, T., Conde, E.G., Vargas, M.A. & Lopez Revilla, R. (1997) A novel cytoplasmic structure containing DNA networks in Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites. 254: 250-257.
Ortner, S., Clark, C.G., Binder, M., Scheiner, O., Wiedermann, G. & Duchêne, M. (1997) Molecular biology of the hexokinase isoenzyme pattern that distinguishes pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica from nonpathogenic Entamoeba dispar. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 86: 85-94.
Pham, T.S., Mansfield, L.S. & Turiansky, G.W. (1997) Zoonoses in HIV-infected patients: risk factors and prevention. Part II. Gastrointestinal, skin, and other diseases. The AIDS Reader 7: 41-52.
Pillai, D.R., Britten, D., Ackers, J.P., Ravdin, J.I. & Kain, K.C. (1997) A gene homologous to hgl2 of Entamoeba histolytica is present and expressed in Entamoeba dispar. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 87: 101-105.
Qureshi, H., Ali, A., Baqai, R. & Ahmed, W. (1997) Efficacy of a combined diloxanide furoate metronidazole preparation in the treatment of amoebiasis and giardiasis. J. Int. Med. Res. 25: 167-170.
Ravdin, J.I. (1997) Amebiasis. In A. A. F. Mahmoud (Eds.), Parasitic lung diseases. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker, Inc., pp. 47-76.
Rosenthal, B., Mai, Z., Caplivski, D., Ghosh, S., de la Vega, H., Graf, T. & Samuelson, J. (1997) Evidence for the bacterial origin of genes encoding fermentation enzymes of the amitochondriate protozoan Entamoeba histolytica. J. Bacteriol. 179: 3736-3745.
Séguin, R., Mann, B.J., Keller, K. & Chadee, K. (1997) The tumor necrosis factor alpha-stimulating region of galactose-inhibitable lectin of Entamoeba histolytica activates gamma interferon-primed macrophages for amebicidal activity mediated by nitric oxide. Infect. Immun. 65: 2522-2527.
Seydel, K.B., Li, E., Swanson, P.E. & Stanley, S.L. (1997) Human intestinal epithelial cells produce proinflammatory cytokines in response to infection in a SCID mouse-human intestinal xenograft model of amebiasis. Infect. Immun. 65: 1631-1639.
Silva, E.F., Gomes, M.A. & Carvalho, M.da G. (1996) [Evaluation of indirect haemagglutination and indirect immunofluorescence on the diagnosis of intestinal amoebiasis (in Portuguese)]. Rev. Pat. Trop. 25: 5-11.
Tachibana, H., Kobayashi, S., Cheng, X.-J. & Hiwatashi, E. (1997) Differentiation of Entamoeba histolytica from E. dispar facilitated by monoclonal antibodies against a 150-kDa surface antigen. Parasitol. Res. 83: 435-439.
Téllez, A., Morales, W., Rivera, T., Meyer, E., Leiva, B. & Linder, E. (1997) Prevalence of intestinal parasites in the human population of León, Nicaragua. Acta Trop 66: 119-125.
Touiti, D., Jaafar, A., Zentar, A., Albouzidi, A., Daali, M., Zrara, I., Ghari, M., Bousselmame, N., Janatim, I., Benomar, S., Taobane, H. & Moulay, D. (1997) [Amebic abscess of the spleen (in French)]. Semaine Des Hopitaux 73: 238-240.
Townes, J.M., Quick, R., Gonzales, O.Y., Linares, M., Damiani, E., Bopp, C.A., Wahlquist, S.P., Hutwagner, L.C., Hanover, E., Mintz, E.D. & Tauxe, R.V. (1997) Etiology of bloody diarrhea in Bolivian children: Implications for empiric therapy. J. Infect. Dis. 175: 1527-1530.
Troll, H., Marti, H. & Weiss, N. (1997) Simple differential detection of Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar in fresh stool specimens by sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin concentration and PCR. J. Clin. Microbiol. 35: 1701-1705.
Ventura-Juárez, J., Campos-Rodríguez, R., Rodríguez-Martínez, H.A., Rodríguez-Reyes, A., Martínez-Palomo, A. & Tsutsumi, V. (1997) Human amebic liver abscess: expression of intercellular adhesion molecules 1 and 2 and of von Willebrand factor in endothelial cells. Parasitol. Res. 83: 510-514.
Walderich, B., Weber, A. & Knobloch, J. (1997) Differentiation of Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar from German travelers and residents of endemic regions. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 57: 70-74.
Walderich, B., Weber, A. & Knobloch, J. (1997) Sensitivity of Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar patient isolates to human complement. Parasite Immunol. 19: 265-271.
Weinke, T. & Nothdurft, H.D. (1997) [Prophylaxis and treatment of important tropical diseases (excluding malaria) (in German)]. Deutsche Med. Woch. 122: 299-301.
Yu, Y. & Chadee, K. (1997) Entamoeba histolytica stimulates interleukin 8 from human colonic epithelial cells without parasite-enterocyte contact. Gastroenterology 112: 1536-1547.