Immune response in human amebiasis: A protective response?

Abstract

Infection with Entamoeba histolytica provokes human diseases that range from amebic colitis to the life-threatening amebic liver abscess; nonetheless, about 90 % of infected people do not develop any symptom. What circumstances or which events in the dynamics of the host–parasite relationship define the outcome of infection? What are the causes that allow the apparently spontaneous clearance of the infection? How protective is the immune response against E. histolytica ? Why do some infected people remain asymptomatic and why do others develop clinical symptoms? What is the role of immunogenetic polymorphism in the final outcome of the infection? These questions are the major aims of many research groups around the world. In the present review, we analyze the potential participation of the immune system and the genetic variants of genes associated with immune response in the human host with its susceptibility or resistance to develop amebic invasive disease.