amebiasis-as-seen-in-radiograph-of-barium-filled-colon
Amebiasis is an intestinal parasite illness caused by the amoeba Entamoeba histolytica, or E. histolytica.
Amebiasis symptoms include loose stools, abdominal cramps, and stomach ache. However, most persons with amebiasis will not have noticeable symptoms.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF AMEBIASIS?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only approximately 10 to 20% of amebiasis patients become unwell.
Amebiasis can cause bloody diarrhea, colitis, and tissue damage in persons who have no symptoms. The person can then transmit the sickness by excreting contaminated feces that contain additional cysts.
When symptoms do arise, they usually manifest 1 to 4 weeks after the cysts have been consumed. At this stage, symptoms such as loose stools and stomach discomfort are common.
Trophozoites may break the intestinal walls, enter the circulation, and migrate to numerous internal organs as a rare complication of the condition. They often infect the liver, but they can also infect the heart, lungs, brain, or other organs.
If trophozoites infiltrate an internal organ, they may cause:
- Abscesses
- Infections
- Serious sickness
- Death
If the parasite infiltrates the gut lining, it can induce amebic dysentery. Amebic dysentery is a more serious type of amebiasis characterized by regular watery and bloody feces as well as severe stomach discomfort.
Fulminant necrotizing amoebic colitis is a highly unusual condition that can damage intestinal tissue and lead to bowel perforation and peritonitis.
The parasite frequently enters the liver, where it can produce an amebic liver abscess, a collection of pus. Fever and pain in the upper-right portion of the abdomen are symptoms.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF AMEBIASIS?
E. histolytica is a single-celled protozoan that enters the human body when cysts are consumed in food or drink. It can also enter the body by direct contact with feces.
The cysts are a dormant form of the parasite that can survive in the soil or environment for several months after being deposited in feces. The small cysts might be found in soil, fertilizer, or water contaminated with infected excrement.
Cysts can be transmitted by food handlers when preparing or handling food. It is also possible to transmit the virus during anal intercourse, oral-anal sex, and colonic irrigation.
Cysts enter the body and become lodged in the digestive tract. They subsequently release a trophozoite, an invasive, active form of the parasite. The parasites multiply in the digestive system before migrating to the large intestine. They can burrow through the intestinal wall or the colon there.
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR AMEBIASIS?
In tropical nations with poor sanitation, amebiasis is frequent. It is most frequent in portions of the Indian subcontinent, Central and South America, Mexico, and Africa. It is quite uncommon in the United States.
Amebiasis is most common in the following people:
- Those who have been to tropical places with inadequate sanitation
- Immigration from tropical countries with poor sanitation conditions
- Persons living in facilities with poor hygienic conditions, such as prisons
- Males who have sexual relations with other men
- Persons with weakened immune systems and other health issues
HOW IS AMEBIASIS DIAGNOSED?
After discussing your recent health and travel history, your doctor may suspect amebiasis.
Amebiasis can be difficult to identify since E. histolytica resembles other parasites, such as E. dispar, which is occasionally observed with E. histolytica but is typically regarded nonpathogenic, which means it is not linked with illness.
Your doctor may request tests such as stool samples and antigen testing to detect E. histolytica and rule out other probable infections.
Tests and exams
To check for the presence of E. histolytica, the following tests can be performed:
- Typically, you will be required to produce stool samples for many days to be examined for the parasite. This is due to the fact that the quantity of amoebas might fluctuate from day to day and may be too low to identify with a single stool sample.
- To identify E. histolytica antigens, a stool test called enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is frequently used.
- When parasites move outside the colon, they may no longer be visible in your feces. To screen for liver lesions, your doctor may conduct an ultrasound or a CT scan.
- If lesions emerge, your doctor may need to do a needle aspiration to check for abscesses in the liver. A liver abscess is a dangerous complication of amebiasis.
- A molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test using a blood sample or nasal swab can be used to differentiate E. histolytica from other infections.
- Blood tests may also be ordered by your doctor to evaluate whether the infection has migrated beyond your intestines to another organ, such as your liver.
- Finally, a colonoscopy may be required to detect the parasite in your large intestine (colon).
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR AMEBIASIS?
If tests reveal the presence of E. histolytica, amebiasis must be treated regardless of whether you have symptoms.
If testing only reveal E. dispar, another amoeba that can cause amebiasis, therapy is usually unnecessary because it is nonpathogenic.
In general, the therapy consists of the following steps:
- If you have symptoms, you will be given a 10-day course of the antiamoebic medication metronidazole (Flagyl) in capsule form, followed by an antibiotic such as diloxanide furoate or paromomycin.
- If you need it, your doctor may also prescribe nausea medicine.
- If you do not have any symptoms, you may be given antibiotics.
- If the parasite is in your intestinal tissues, the therapy must target both the organism and any harm to your affected organs.
- If the colon or peritoneal tissues develop perforations, surgery may be required.
HOW CAN AMEBIASIS BE PREVENTED?
The key to avoiding amebiasis is proper cleanliness. As a general rule, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the restroom and before handling food.
When preparing and consuming food in areas where the virus is frequent, observe this regimen:
- Before eating, thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables.
- Eat only fruits and vegetables that you have washed and peeled yourself.
- Ice cubes and fountain beverages should be avoided.
- Fresh peeled fruit and vegetables should be avoided.
- Use bottled water and soft drinks in their original containers.
- If you must drink tap water, boil it for at least 1 minute or use a store-bought "absolute 1 micron" filter with disinfecting chlorine, chlorine dioxide, or iodine pills.
- Avoid unpasteurized dairy products such as milk and cheese.
- Avoid eating from street sellers.
CONCLUSION
Amebiasis usually responds well to therapy and should go away in approximately two weeks.
If you have a more serious case in which the parasite develops in your internal tissues or organs, your outlook remains positive as long as you receive proper medical treatment. Amebiasis, on the other hand, can be fatal if left untreated.