Table 1.
Characteristics of Patients With Entamoeba histolytica Infection
| Characteristic | Asymptomatic Infection (n = 13) |
Symptomatic Invasive Infection (n = 51)a | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, y, median Range | 45 (29–68) | 41 (21–67) | .093 |
| Male sex | 12 (92.3) | 45 (88.2) | >.999 |
| MSM | 7 (53.8) | 39 (76.5) | .165 |
| Positive serology of STIs | |||
| HIV (4th generation) | 6 (46.2) | 34 (66.7) | .208 |
| With current OIs | 1 (7.7) | 3 (5.9) | >.999 |
| On ART | 3 (23.1) | 20 (39.2) | .346 |
| Syphilis (TPHA) | 3 (23.1) | 16 (31.4) | .739 |
| Hepatitis B (HBc-Ab) | 5 (38.5) | 22 (43.1) | >.999 |
| Hepatitis C (HCV-Ab) | 2 (15.4) | 2 (3.9) | .181 |
| Travel history to developing countries within 1 y | 4 (30.8) | 9 (17.7) | .439 |
| Clinical symptoms | |||
| Diarrhea | 0 (0.0) | 32 (62.8) | |
| Fever | 0 (0.0) | 20 (39.2) | |
| Abdominal pain | 0 (0.0) | 18 (35.3) | |
| Bloody stool | 0 (0.0) | 15 (29.4) | |
| No complaint | 13 (100) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Laboratory results, median Range | |||
| WBC count, ×103/μL | 5.38 (2.12–8.05) | 7.94 (2.21–30.38) | <.001 |
| CRP, mg/dL | 0.04 (0.01–3.35) | 2.56 (0.02–24.94) | .008 |
| Eosinophils, /μL | 188 (16–718) | 116 (0–1009) | .266 |
| Anti–Entamoeba histolytica Ab | 8/10 (80.0) | 12/33 (36.4) | .028 |
| CD4 count, cells/μLb | 379 (125–507) | 341 (34–1112) | .683 |
| CD4 percentage, %b | 25.3 (9.7–41.9) | 23.7 (3.2–52.1) | .694 |
| HIV RNA, copies/mLb | 8000 (TND–600 000) | 21 (TND–680 000) | .691 |
| Diagnosis method | .265 | ||
| Stool test | 8 (61.5) | 32 (62.7) | |
| Endoscopy | 5 (38.5) | 12 (23.5) | |
| Aspiration/drainage | 0 (0.0) | 7 (13.7) |
Data are presented as no. (%) unless otherwise indicated.
Abbreviations: Ab, antibody; ART, antiretroviral therapy; CRP, C-reactive protein; HBc, hepatitis B core; HCV, hepatitis C virus; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; MSM, men who have sex with men; OI, opportunistic infection; RNA, ribonucleic acid; STI, sexually transmitted infection; TND, target not detected; TPHA, Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay; WBC, white blood cell.
aSymptomatic invasive infections included 45 patients with colitis and 6 patients with liver abscess. Acute appendicitis (n = 3), perianal abscess (n = 2), and a fulminant colitis case (n = 1) were included in the colitis group.
bThe peripheral blood tests for CD4+ T cells and HIV viral load were performed only for patients with HIV.