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Entamoeba dispar is morphologically indistinguishable from E. histolytica and has the same life cycle, but it is normally considered a harmless commensal. Nevertheless, there is some evidence suggesting it occasionally causes lesions in the intestines and liver (Oliveira et al. 2015). It is much more prevalent than E. histolytica, and therefore, it is essential to distinguish between the two species to avoid a false diagnosis of amoebic dysentery and thereby initiating inappropriate treatment. In mixed xenic cultures, E. dispar soon outgrows E. histolytica – which could cause problems where the amoebas are cultured to confirm an initial diagnosis by microscopy. Whether this reflects better fitness and/or whether E. dispar influences the establishment of E. histolytica is uncertain.