Prevalence of Human Intestinal Entamoeba spp. in the Americas: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 1990–2022

SERVIÁN, ANDREA; HELMAN, ELISA; IGLESIAS, MARÍA DEL ROSARIO; PANTI-MAY, JESÚS ALONSO; ZONTA, MARÍA LORENA; NAVONE, GRACIELA TERESA

Pathogens

MDPI AG

Lugar: Basilea; Año: 2022 vol. 11

Among the seven species of Entamoeba known to infect humans, E. histolytica is widely recognized as a pathogen. It is reported that Entamoeba infections are common in the developingworld, but rare in developed countries. The best way to diagnose these protozoan parasites is to detect antigens or DNA in the stool. This study aimed to review the prevalence, distribution, and diagnosismethods of Entamoeba spp. infecting humans in the Americas between 1990 and 2022. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed, including 227 studies on Entamoeba infections from30 out of 35 American countries. The pooled prevalence of each species of Entamoeba was calculated using the random-effects model. The assignment of Entamoeba species was mainly performed by microscopy. The most widely distributed and prevalent species was E. coli (21.0%). Of the studies, 49% could not differentiate the species of the Entamoeba complex. The pathogenic species E. Histolyticawas distributed among 22 out of 30 American countries studied, with a pooled prevalence of 9%. Molecular data on Entamoeba species are still scarce. This is the first study that reviewed and summarized data on the prevalence of this protozoan genera among American countries.