The effect of infection with the Entamoeba histolytica on oxidative stress status in Kirkuk hospital patients

Entamoeba histolytica is one of the principal intestinal pathogenic parasitic protozoans that cause health issues globally. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how the oxidative stress indicators glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase(CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) are affected by E. histolytica infection. This study, which involved 476 patients of all ages and genders, was conducted between September 2020 and the end of August 2021 to look in to the prevalence of E. histolytica among those who had diarrhea, and tow diagnostic methods were used, including the direct smear method and ELISA technology to detect the parasite in stool samples. 20 blood samples were collected from those infected with the parasite of both sexes, 20 samples from patients suffering from diarrhea symptoms, in addition to 20 samples from healthy individuals as a control group. The results showed that the total percentage of infection with E. histolytica reached to 29.6%. and showed significantly increased the concentration of malondialdehyde (P<0.01) compared to the diarrhea-infected group and the healthy group and the decreased in the activity of glutathione concentration and the activity of catalase enzymes and superoxide dismutase in the infected with the parasite significantly (p<0.01) compared to the diarrhea-infected group and the healthy group.It is concluded from the results of the current study that infection by E. histolytica induced oxidative stress status of the infected people, which may have different health consequences.