Abstract. To correlate a particular state of immunity with Entamoeba spp., we used colorimetric PCR to differentiate E. histolytica from E. dispar in individuals with amoebiasis and to associate its presence with the clinical profile, including humoral and cellular immune responses to E. histolytica. Our results showed high levels of antibody in acute amoebiasis and elevation of IL-4 production, a cytokine related to Th2 profile, associated with E. histolytica. In chronic amoebiasis, even with anti-E. histolytica seropositivity, intestinal symptoms were associated with E. dispar in all the cases, without differences in level of antibodies, BTI, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, INF-␥, and IL-4. Among asymptomatic carriers, E. dispar was more frequently found; however, identification of E. histolytica in two asymptomatic carriers associated with high levels of INF-␥, a cytokine related to Th1 profile, demonstrate the importance of making specific diagnosis of Entamoeba spp., to establish the clinical and epidemiological behavior in both intestinal and extra-intestinal amoebiasis.

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Objective: We undertook this study to determine the relationship among -174G>C and 598G>A polymorphisms in the promoter region of interleukin-6, obesity, and metabolic abnormalities in subjects from central Mexico.Methods: Included in the study were 150 subjects who were not first-degree relatives of patients with diabetes and 106 blood samples from the general population. All were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction fragment-length polymorphism. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationships among haplotypes, obesity, and metabolic abnormalities.Results: Only 2 haplotypes were observed: the -174G -598G and -174C -598A (D'=1.00). The -174G -598G-haplotype was associated with type 2 diabetes (OR 3.35, 95%, CI 1.16-9.71). The relationship of obesity with insulin insensitivity and obesity with hyperinsulinemia was modified by the presence of this haplotype (from OR 10.07, 95% CI 3. respectively). Conclusions:In the Mexican population, interleukin-6 haplotypes are associated with diabetes, suggesting that their contribution may be by means of modifying the relationship between obesity and metabolic abnormalities.