Detection of Calreticulin Gene EhCRT from Patients Infected with Entamoeba histolytica in Wasit

Abstract

       Entamoeba histolytica is a major contributor to diarrheal illness and dysentery worldwide. This study aimed to employ a combination of conventional and molecular techniques to enhance the diagnosis of E. histolytica infected and to evaluate the expression of the calreticulin (EhCRT) gene . A total of 75 Patients' diarrheal stool specimens were gathered at the Al-Karama Hospital and health centers Wasit, Iraq during1st November to 30 February. The results of microscopic examination  30 samples out of 75, representing a percentage 40% .The Nested PCR aiming for the SSU rRNA gene yielded positive results in 21 out of the 30 samples who were identified as microscopically positive .The RT-qPCR analysis revealed a diverse pattern of EhCRT gene regulation among the 21 positive samples. Several samples exhibited significant up-regulation of the EhCRT gene, with fold changes as high as 51.934 and 22.449, indicating a potential role of calreticulin in the pathogenesis and E. histolytica's pathogenicity. Conversely, other samples displayed notable down-regulation of the EhCRT gene, with fold changes ranging from 0.015 to 0.120, which may be associated with a less virulent or less invasive phenotype of the parasite.