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Gastroenteritis/Parasite panel I allows the detection of Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia intestinalis and Cryptosporidium parvum.

Entamoeba histolytica is an anaerobic parasitic protozoan, part of the genus Entamoeba. Infection can lead to amoebic dysentery or amoebic liver abscess. Symptoms can include fulminating dysentery, bloody diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue, abdominal pain, and amoeboma. The amoeba can actually bore into the intestinal wall, causing lesions and intestinal symptoms, and it may reach
the blood stream(1).

Giardia intestinalis is a flagellated protozoan parasite that colonises and reproduces in the small intestine, causing giardiasis. The giardia parasite attaches to the epithelium by a ventral
adhesive disc, and reproduces via binary fission(2). Giardiasis does not spread via the bloodstream, nor does it spread to other parts of the gastro-intestinal tract, but remains confined to the lumen of the small intestine(3).

Cryptosporidium parvum is one of several species that cause cryptosporidiosis, a parasitic disease of the mammalian intestinal tract. Primary symptoms of C. parvum infection are acute, watery, and non-bloody diarrhoea. C. parvum infection is of particular concern in immunocompromised patients, where diarrhea can reach 10–15L per day. Other symptoms may include anorexia, nausea/vomiting and abdominal pain (4).

(1) Ryan KJ, Ray CG (editors) (2004). Sherris Medical Microbiology (4th ed.). McGraw Hill. pp. 733–8.

(2) Oxford textbook of Medicine, Fourth Edition, Volume 1. Oxford University Press pp759-760.

(3) Harrison’s Internal Medicine, Harrison’s Online Chapter 199 Protozoal intestinal infections and trochomoniasis.

(4) ”Cryptosporidiosis.” Laboratory Identification of Parasites of Public Health Concern. CDC. 5 Sept 2007.

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