RESUMO
The present study was carried out to investigate the frequency of Entamoeba gingivalis in the gingival crevices of dental patients with advanced periodontitis compared to normal subjects. The effect of metronidazole on this protozoa was also investigated in patients receiving chemotherapeutic agents. Histological sections were studied to determine the location of E. gingivalis in the gingival tissue. The results revealed that in patients with periodontitis E. gingivalis was found to be 64% before treatment and 26% after metronidazole treatment with a decrease of 38%. In cases under chemotherapeutic agents the percentage was 58%, while it was only 34% in the control group. Histological sections revealed that E. gingivalis was not observed within the gingival epithelium, but was observed within plaque or cellular debris adjacent to sulcular epithelium