Savyon CoproELISA™ D. fragilis – Under Development

Dientamoeba fragilis is a nonflagellate trichomonad parasite and is one of the smallest protozoan parasites that can live in the human large intestine. Unlike most other intestinal protozoa, no cyst stage has been observed. Similar to Blastocystis, it was recently suggested that D. fragilis infection might play a role in the etiology of irritable bowel disease (IBS). Estimated prevalence in the general population in developed countries is most commonly 2-4%. However, much higher prevalence rates (19-69%) have been reported in undeveloped, and some developing countries.

Diagnosis

The usual method for confirming the diagnosis is examination of a permanently stained smear of fresh feces. Immediate preservation is necessary because in unpreserved feces, the morphologic characteristics of the trophozoites do not persist. Testing a single specimen per patient yields sensitivity levels of 50-60%, however, three separate samples increase sensitivity up to 70-85%.

Savyon’s CoproELISA^™ Dientamoeba is a novel ELISA-based test for detection of Dientamoeba fragilis antigens in fecal specimens. This test is the first commercial immunoassay for detection of D. fragilis. The test is compatible with both fresh and formalin/SAF preserved samples.