Previously, it was thought that 10% of the world population was infected, but these figures predate the recognition that at least 90% of these infections were due to a second species, E. dispar.
许多较早的教科书指出，总计有10%的世界人口被感染，但是后来认识到，这些感染者至少有90%是由于另一个种類痢疾阿米巴(E. dispar)引起的。