Human amoebiasis in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan

To determine the overall prevalence of human amoebiasis at Nishtar Hospital Multan, Punjab, stool samples (n = 766) were collected from patients visiting Nishtar Hospital Multan. Temporary mounts were prepared for determine amoebiasis. Out of 766 patients, 66 were infected with Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar/Entamoeba moshkovskii. The overall prevalence of parasites was 8.61%. It was more prevalent in females (9.46%) as compared to males (8.15%). The relationship between sex and human amoebiasis was non-significant (P>0.05). The prevalence of amoebiasis was highest in age group of 33 to 48 years (16.67%) and lowest in 49 to 63 years (3.45%). The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The high prevalence may be attributed to low sanitary conditions in the region. The protozoan parasites did not show gender specific differences.   Key words: Prevalence, age, sex, amoebiasis, humans.