Dientamoeba Fragilis

First, some background to this parasite and a brief discussion of what may be used pharmaceutically and then a review of how a non-drug approach may be applied through the understanding of the mechanisms employed by the organism and its relative susceptibility to eradication strategies.

Dientamoeba fragilis (D. fragilis)is a trichomonad (a genus of anaerobic protists that are parasites of vertebrates) parasite found in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and implicated as a cause of gastrointestinal disease. D. fragilis has been found in most parts of the world in both rural and cosmopolitan areas. Infection with D. fragilis is called Dientamoebiasis and is associated variously with symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weight loss, and fever.[1]

Dientamoeba fragilis is a parasite that causes gastrointestinal problems. Despite its name, Dientamoeba fragilis is not an amoeba but a flagellate. This protozoan parasite produces trophozoites; cysts have not been identified. Infection may be either symptomatic or asymptomatic.