Entamoeba histolytica

Entamoeba histolytica

Updated: 01/26/2024

© Jun Wang, MD, PhD

 

General features


 Life cycle


Key clinical features

  • Intestinal amebiasis and extraintestinal manifestations
  • Bloody diarrhea due to colonic tissue damage
  • Presentation depends on locations of infection
    • Gastrointestinal: Gradual onset, fever, abdominal pain, tenesmus, diarrhea (with or without blood), dysentery
    • Liver: Abscess, most common extraintestinal complication; fever, right upper quadrant pain, hepatomegaly with hepatic tenderness; may rupture and involve surrounding structures
    • Respiratory tract: Rare, atelectasis and pleural effusions
    • Brain: Abscesses, very rare, sudden onset symptoms such as headache, vomiting, and mental status changes with rapid progression to death

Colonoscopic findings

Pathologic findings

Diagnosis

  • Stool microscopy: poor sensitivity, cyst or trophozoites
  • Stool antigen detection
  • Serology: high sensitivity and specificity, not helpful in distinguishing between an acute or previous infection
  • Stool molecular studies: high sensitivity and specificity, more expensive

Treatment

  • First-line treatment: Metronidazole

 

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