Dientamoeba fragilis is a protozoan parasite of humans that infects the mucosa of the large intestine and is associated with gastrointestinal disease. We developed a 5' nuclease (TaqMan)-based real-time PCR assay, targeting the small subunit rRNA gene, for the detection of D. fragilis in human stool specimens and compared its sensitivity and specificity to conventional PCR and microscopic exami...

Dientamoeba fragilis is an enteric protozoan parasite that remains neglected, probably due to the misconception that it is uncommon and non-pathogenic. As more information be‐ came available and antimicrobial agents were developed with activity against this para‐ site, it became clear that D. fragilis is responsible of an active infection, associated with symptoms such as abdominal pain and dia...

Susceptibility testing was performed on Dientamoeba fragilis ATCC 30948 in a dixenic culture with Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bacteroides vulgatus. D. fragilis was cocultured with the bacteria in TYGM-9 medium (ATCC medium 1171). The activities of antiparasitic drugs were assessed by counting viable D. fragilis trophozoites with a hemacytometer by trypan blue exclusion. The minimal amebicidal con...

Among 750 symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, Dientamoeba fragilis was detected at a prevalence of 5.2% and more common than Giardia intestinalis. Most infected patients presented with diarrhea and abdominal pain with symptoms greater than 2 weeks duration being common. Bacterial and viral causes of infection were excluded by routine microbiological techniques. Treatment of D. fragilis infec...

Dientamoeba fragilis is a common intestinal parasite in humans. Transmission routes and natural host range are unknown. To determine whether pigs are hosts, we analyzed 152 fecal samples by microscopy and molecular methods. We confirmed that pigs are a natural host and harbor genotypes found in humans, suggesting zoonotic potential.

Dientamoeba fragilis is a globally occurring parasite that has been recognized as a causative agent of gastrointestinal symptoms. A single-round PCR was developed to detect D. fragilis DNA directly from human stool samples. The genetic diversity of D. fragilis from 93 patients and 6 asymptomatic carriers was examined by PCR followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing of ...

Dientamoeba fragilis is a protozoan parasite of the human bowel, commonly reported throughout the world in association with gastrointestinal symptoms. Despite its initial discovery over 100 years ago, arguably, we know less about this peculiar organism than any other pathogenic or potentially pathogenic protozoan that infects humans. The details of its life cycle and mode of transmission are no...