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Little is known about the changes in gut resident flora during amebic colitis and amebic liver abscess (ALA) caused by Entamoeba histolytica infection. Fecal samples from ALA patients, from healthy E. histolytica negative and positive (asymptomatic) individuals, and from pre- and post-metronidazoletreated healthy volunteers and pus samples from ALA patients were tested for the presence of various bacterial genera using 16S rRNAbased primers. Statistically significant reduction in Lactobacillus due to E. histolytica infection was observed in asymptomatic individuals and ALA patients. On the other hand, reduction in Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Clostridium in the same samples was due to metronidazole treatment. Two anaerobic genera, viz. Bacteroides and Peptostreptococcus, were detected in ALA pus samples, and this observation is unprecedented. In addition, PCR revealed metronidazole resistance genes in fecal and pus samples of metronidazole-treated individuals. Re-examination of the ameba-bacterium relationship in amebiasis is suggested.
Received June 3, 2006. Accepted for publication July 14, 2006.
Acknowledgments: The authors acknowledge Miss Shweta Srivastava in screening E. histolyticapositive samples and Miss Rina Chakravorty (Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi) for helping in statistical analysis of data.
Financial Support: This work was supported by grants from University Grants Commission and Department of Science and Technology, India. The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) and the American Committee on Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travellers Health (ACCTMTH) assisted with publication expenses.
* Address correspondence to Jaishree Paul, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067 India. E-mail: jpaul33{at}hotmail.com
Authors addresses: Rekha Rani and Jaishree Paul, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067 India, Fax: +91-011-26717580, E-mails: jpaul33{at}hotmail.com and rekhs2004garg{at}gmail.com. R.S. Murthy and Vineet Ahuja, Department of Gastroenteology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. Sudha Bhattacharya, School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India. M.A. Rizvi, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi-110025, India.
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