Amebiasis

Last reviewed: 25 Aug 2023
Last updated: 07 Jul 2022

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • diarrhea
More key diagnostic factors

Other diagnostic factors

  • generalized abdominal pain
  • right upper quadrant abdominal pain
  • weight loss
  • cough
  • fever
  • altered mental status or limb weakness
  • dyspnea
  • guarding and rebound tenderness of the abdomen
  • jaundice
  • right lung decreased air entry and percussion note
Other diagnostic factors

Risk factors

  • exposure in endemic areas
  • institutionalization of intellectually disabled people
  • men who have sex with men
  • oral-anal sexual contact
  • HIV infection, past or current syphilis infection
  • male gender
More risk factors

Diagnostic investigations

1st investigations to order

  • stool antigen detection
  • PCR or qPCR of stool or liver abscess pus for E histolytica DNA
  • serum antibody test
More 1st investigations to order

Investigations to consider

  • stool microscopy
  • colonoscopy
  • liver ultrasound
  • CXR
  • CT liver/chest/head
  • MRI brain
More investigations to consider

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

symptomatic amebiasis

asymptomatic amebiasis

Contributors

Authors

Koji Watanabe, MD, PhD

Attending physician

AIDS Clinical Center

National Center for Global health and Medicine

Tokyo

Japan

Disclosures

KW is an author of a number of references cited in this topic.

Acknowledgements

Dr Koji Watanabe would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr William A. Petri, a previous contributor to this topic. WAP is a consultant for TechLab, Inc. which manufactures diagnostic tests for amebiasis and is also the author of a number of references cited in this topic.

Peer reviewers

Ran Nir-Paz, MD

Senior Lecturer in Microbiology and Medicine

Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center

Jerusalem

Israel

Disclosures

RNP declares that he has no competing interests.

Christopher Huston, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Division of Infectious Diseases

University of Vermont College of Medicine

Burlington

VT

Disclosures

CH declares that he has no competing interests.

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