ABSTRACT
Most physicians in Gaza prescribe medicaments for patient's suffering from Entamoeba histolytica/dispar without parasitologic diagnosis. Additionally, stool analysis performed by the routine methods usually reports the species as E. histolytica without confirmation. In this study, 92 stool specimens were collected and analyzed by wet mount, iron haematoxylin staining, antigen detection of E. histolytica and polymerase chain reaction [PCR]. The total number of E. histolytica identified by PCR was 64 that of E. dispar was 21. Mixed infection with both E. histolytica and E. dispar was evident in 7 specimens. In the light of these results, approximately 30% of suspected clinical amoebiasis cases were negative for E. histolytica. It is recommended to use PCR for diagnosis of stool specimens from patients with E. histolytica/dispar and that treatment should be prescribed for only patients positive for E. histolytica