| Abstract
| - Abstract. A commercial microplate enzyme immunoassay (ProSpecT® EIA; Alexon Inc., Sunnyvale, CA 94089, USA) was compared with conventional microscopy for the diagnosis of Entamoeba histolytica infection. Using specimens known to be infected, the sensitivity of the ProSpecT® EIA was 78% and its specificity was 99%. No cross reaction with other intestinal parasites was observed. The ProSpecT® EIA and conventional microscopy (using merthiolate-iodine-formaldehyde direct wet mounts and concentration techniques) were then used to detect E. histolytica infections in 431 patients in a mental hospital in Taiwan. Using single stool specimens, microscopy detected infection in 10.9% of the patients, compared with 16.9% detected by ProSpecT® EIA. The latter method was simple and quick, but more expensive, and could be used to complement microscopy if a prompt diagnosis is desired clinically. However, ProSpecT® EIA cannot differentiate between pathogenic E. histolytica and non-pathogenic strains (= E. dispar), which limits its usefulness.
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