Virulence and virulence factors in Entamoeba histolytica, the agent of human amoebiasis

Abstract Human infections with Entamoeba histolytica sporadically become pathogenic, unknown triggers converting the parasite to its invasive phenotype. Parasite virulence results from complex host–parasite interactions implicating multiple amoebic and host factors, eliciting host defence responses and parasite resistance to stress caused by the host reactions and changing environments during tissue invasion.