ABSTRACT
Entamoebahistolytica is a protozoan, an anaerobic intestinal parasite that causes about 50 million infections and a mortality rate of more than 100,000 worldwide. For diagnosis, two hundred samples of children with diarrhea signs were evaluated using staining and polymerase chain reaction techniques. The current study recorded 11 positive cases of E. histolytica, which were diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) out of a total of 51 positive cases diagnosed microscopically for pediatric children arriving at Tikrit General Hospital in Tikrit city and the nearby areas. The percentage of positive cases reached 21.57% for the PCR assay, as significant differences appeared compared to the microscopic examination. The results showed that the parasite infection rates differed between males (54.9%) and females (45.1%). The percentage of infected numbers in the age group less than one year was about 43.1%, while the percentage of disease control and prevention programs f infected people in the age group 1-2 years was (31.4%). The results showed that the percentage of infected age group between (2-3) years was 15.7%. The recorded data showed that 5.9% and 3.9% of the participants were infected in the age group of3-4 and over four years old, respectively. The genes encoded in Cysteine proteinase five and Phospholipase were diagnosed using the PCR technique. The concordance with the current study isolate and 90% match globally. In conclusion, the methods of detection of E. histolytica appeared differences in positive results for this parasite.
