Effect of erythrocyte phagocytosis on Entamoeba histolytica growth in culture
Hoang Thy Kim; Solov'ev, M.M.
Meditsinskaia Parazitologiia i Parazitarnye Bolezni 48(6): 69-72
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-8326 PMID: 229394 Document Number: 139725
Experiments in vitro with polyxenic cultures of 3 E. histolytica strains isolated from patients with amoebiasis showed that the addition of human erythrocytes to amoebae resulted in a decrease in the number and inhibition of amoeba growth within 2-3 h. The added erythrocytes degenerated in the polyxenic cultures rather rapidly leading to the reduction of the intensity of erythrophagocytosis and simultaneously to the restoration of amoebal growth. These results confirm the data from the literature (Shaffer and Iralu, 1961) on the unfavorable effect of erythrophagocytosis on E. histolytica and refute the concept of erythrocytes being a normal component of nutrition of this amoeba.