Abstract
Introduction: The calprotectin test is a non-invasive test used to diagnose patients who have diarrhea and are suspected of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); The purpose of this study is to determine whether the fecal calprotectin test is positive in gastroenteritis caused by Entamoeba histolytica (amoebiasis) or not.
Methods: This research was a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study. Fifty patients were included in the study with an accessible or easy sampling method. Blood samples were obtained from all patients to check blood cells and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Fecal calprotein (FCP) was measured by ELISA method with a laboratory kit in Jihad University Laboratory and accredited laboratories in Tabriz city.
Results: Among all the participants in the study, 19 of them had feces levels higher than 50 mg/kg; among these, the number of male patients was significantly higher than females (P=0.035). The results indicated that in comparison with the group with negative result for calprotectin, the group with positive results for calprotectin has more patients with the duration of more than 7 days for the disease (P=0.018). Calprotectin levels in patients with severe disease were significantly higher than calprotectin levels in patients with mild symptoms (P=0.009).
Conclusion: Calprotectin levels increase in patients with amebiasis. As seen in this research, the fecal calprotectin test was positive in patients with severe or prolonged amebiasis.