Entamoeba moshkovskii

Entamoeba moshkovskii is part of the genus Entamoeba. It is found in areas with polluted water sources, and is prevalent in places such as Malaysia, India, and Bangladesh, but more recently has made its way to Turkey, Australia, and North America. This amoeba is said to rarely infect humans, but recently this has changed. It is in question as to whether it is pathogenic or not. Despite some sources stating this is a free living amoeba, various studies worldwide have shown it contains the ability to infect humans, with some cases of pathogenic potential being reported. Some of the symptoms that often occur are diarrhea, weight loss, bloody stool, and abdominal pain. The first known human infection also known as the 'Laredo strain' of Entamoebic mushkovskii was in Laredo, Texas in 1991, although it was first described by a man named Tshalaia in 1941 in Moscow, Russia. It is known to affect people of all ages and genders. E. moshkovskii has been identified in occasionally causing diarrhea with similar severity, duration, and age of onset to diarrhea acquired from E. histolytica. In murine models of mice, E. moshkovskii caused diarrhea, weight loss, and colitis. When children in Bangladesh were tested for intestinal issues, E. moshkovskii infection was associated with diarrhea. The exact characteristics of Entamoeba moshkovskii are 'indistinguishable' from that of Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar unless a polymerase chain reaction test is done. This is the only circumstance in which you can distinguish between the three of them. Entamoeba moshkovskii is transmitted by contact or ingestion of any unclean water sources. It is known to be found in areas with polluted water such as brackish coastal pools, river line sediments, and originally sewage.