Saliva is an easily-accessible and a non-invasive clinical specimen alternate to blood and liver
pus. An attempt was made to detect Entamoeba histolytica
DNA released in the saliva of
amoebic liver abscess (ALA) patients by applying 16S-like rRNA gene-based nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (NM-PCR). The NM-PCR detected E. histolytica
DNA in the saliva of eight (28.6%) of 28 ALA patients. The NM-PCR result was negative for E. histolytica
DNA in the saliva of all the eight ALA patients who were tested prior to treatment with
metronidazole but was positive in the saliva of eight (40%) of 20 ALA patient who were tested after
therapy with
metronidazole. The NM-PCR detected E. histolytica
DNA in
liver abscess pus of all 28 (100%) patients with ALA. The TechLab E. histolytica II
enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay was positive for E. histolytica
Gal/GalNAc lectin antigen in the
liver abscess pus of 13 (46.4%) of the 28 ALA patients. The indirect haemagglutination (IHA) test was positive for anti-amoebic
antibodies in the serum of 22 (78.6%) of the 28 ALA patients and 2 (5.7%) of 35 healthy controls. The present study, for the first time, demonstrates the release of E. histolytica
DNA in the saliva of ALA patients by applying NM-PCR.