Most Entamoeba infections in humans are caused by non-pathogenic species such as Entamoeba dispar, Entamoeba moshkoviskii and Entamoeba coli. The only amoebic species that causes disease in humans is Entamoeba histolytica (true pathogen).

E. histolytica is the causative agent of amoebiasis and is responsible for dysentery and liver abscesses with invasive disease developing in approximately 10% of infected individuals. The burden of amoebiasis is difficult to determine due to many factors including the limited diagnostic and surveillance capacities in endemic regions, such as Central and South America, Africa, and Asia [1].  Worldwide, it has been estimated that up to 50 million people are affected by E. histolytica, primarily in developing countries, and it is responsible for over 100,000 deaths a year which ranks only below malaria with regard to patient mortality [1].

E. histolytica is also present in industrialised countries but generally confined to returning travellers or immigrants from endemic countries. E. histolytica is typically transmitted to the population by the ingestion of infected water or food contaminated with faecal material, faecal-oral transmission within households and men who have sex with men [2].