Nonpathogenic intestinal amebae infection pathophysiology
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Human beings may become infected with nonpathogenic intestinal amebae by swallowing something, such as food or water, or touching something (and then putting fingers in mouth) that was contaminated with stool from an infected person. The parasite can stay in the body for weeks, months, or years. But they never spread from the intestines to other parts of the body.
Pathophysiology
Life Cycle
Entamoeba coli, E. hartmanni, E. polecki, Endolimax nana, and Iodamoeba buetschlii are generally considered nonpathogenic and reside in the large intestine of the human host. Both cysts and trophozoites of these species are passed in stool and considered diagnostic.
1. Cysts are typically found in formed stool, whereas trophozoites are typically found in diarrheal stool.
2. Colonization of the nonpathogenic amebae occurs after ingestion of mature cysts in fecally-contaminated food, water, or fomites.
3. Excystation occurs in the small intestine and trophozoites are released, which migrate to the large intestine. The trophozoites multiply by binary fission and produce cysts, and both stages are passed in the feces. Because of the protection conferred by their cell walls, the cysts can survive days to weeks in the external environment and are responsible for transmission. Trophozoites passed in the stool are rapidly destroyed once outside the body, and if ingested would not survive exposure to the gastric environment.
