Cutaneous Amebiasis: The Importance of Molecular Diagnosis of an Emerging Parasitic Disease

Patricia Morán Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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Liliana Rojas Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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René Cerritos Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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Valeria Zermeño Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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Alicia Valadez Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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Griselda Montes de Oca Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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Miguel Ángel Reyes Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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Enrique González Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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Oswaldo Partida Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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Eric Hernández Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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Miriam Nieves Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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Tobías Portillo Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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Marco Gudiño Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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Manuel Ramiro Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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Cecilia Ximénez Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico; Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2012.12-0278
Volume/Issue:
Volume 88: Issue 1
Page(s):
186–190
Restricted access
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Cutaneous amebiasis is the least common clinical form of human amebiasis in Mexico, sexual amebiasis was only occasionally observed before the late 1980s. However, in the last few decades, most of the documented cases of cutaneous amebiasis from around the world are sexually transmitted. We present two cases of sexually transmitted genital amebiasis. The molecular characterization of the Entamoeba species in the affected tissues underlines the importance of an etiological diagnosis using specific and sensitive techniques that avoid the rapid destruction of tissues and the irreversible sequelae to the anatomy and function of the affected organs. In addition, for those interested in the study of the human-amoebic disease relationship and its epidemiology, the detection of a new, mixed infection in an invasive case of amebiasis reveals new perspectives in the study of the extraordinarily complex host-parasite relationship in amebiasis.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Cecilia Ximénez, Departamento de Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina. UNAM, Dr. Balmis No 149 Col. Doctores, Mexico D.F. CP 06726, Mexico. E-mail: cximenez@servidor.unam.mx

Financial support: This work was partially supported by the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACyT), grants 140990 and 79220, and grants IN 226511 and IN-204208 from the PAPIIT program for Scientific Research Development (DGAPA) UNAM.

Authors' addresses: Patricia Morán, Liliana Rojas, René Cerritos, Valeria Zermeño, Alicia Valadez, Enrique González, Eric Hernández, Oswaldo Partida, Miriam Nieves, Tobías Portillo, Marco Gudiño, and Cecilia Ximénez, Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico, E-mails: patricia_morans@yahoo.com.mx, rojasvelazquezliliana@gmail.com, renecerritos@gmail.com, flos_aquae@hotmail.com, alicia.vs17@gmail.com, rivasenrimx@yahoocom.mx, ericghdz@yahoo.com.mx, oswpartida@yahoo.com.mx, mirnieves@yahoo.com.mx, tobiasportillo@gmail.comelda, gudino@servidor.unam.mx, and cximenez@servidor.unam.mx. Griselda Montes de Oca, Dermatology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico, E-mail: grismos@yahoo.com.mx. Miguel Ángel Reyes, Urology Department, General Hospital of Mexico, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico, E-mail: marg3@prodigy.net.mx. Manuel Ramiro, Ministry of Health, Mexico City; Unit of Education, Scientific Research and Health Policy Direction of Medical Benefits, Mexican Institute of Social Security Mexico City, IMSS, Mexico, E-mail: mramiroh@yahoo.com.mx.

Copyright:
© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2013
Received:
02 May 2012
|
Accepted:
29 Jul 2012
|
Published Online:
09 Jan 2013
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
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