• Selahattin Aydemir, Nuriz Ateş, Abdurrahman Ekici, and Hasan Yilmaz.
• From the Department of Parasitology (Aydemir, Ekici, Yilmaz), Faculty of Medicine, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University; and from the Department of Central Laboratory (Ateş), Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Dursun Odabaş Medical Centre, Van, Turkey.
• Saudi Med J. 2024 Oct 1; 45 (10): 108710931087-1093.

ObjectivesTo highlight the importance of neglected Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica) infections in the geriatric age group, which is an increasing proportion of the world's population.MethodsThis study was carried out between January 2022 and December 2023 at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Faculty of Medicine, Parasitology Laboratory, Van, Turkey. The study included 96 geriatric patients with diarrhea (geriatric group). Two different control groups (CGs) were also included in the study, comprising 92 patients aged 18-64 years with diarrhea as CG1 and 50 geriatric individuals without diarrhea and other gastrointestinal complaints as CG2. Samples were analysed macroscopically and then evaluated by microscopic, enzyme-linked immunoassay, and polymerase chain reaction.ResultsThis study detected E. histolytica in 31.3% of the geriatric group and 14.1% of the patients in CG1 (p=0.004). Entamoeba histolytica positivity was not detected in CG2. According to the multiple correspondence analysis, there was a close association between E. histolytica positivity and bloody diarrhea and mucous diarrhea in the geriatric patients. It was also determined that E. histolytica can cause abdominal pain, abdominal distension, and epigastric tenderness in geriatric patients.ConclusionBoth the risk of E. histolytica infection and the pathogenicity of the infection increase in geriatric individuals. Therefore, it was concluded that amoebiasis is a serious health problem in the geriatric population and should not be neglected.Copyright: © Saudi Medical Journal.

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