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How does Entamoeba histolytica spread?
What is Entamoeba histolytica amebiasis?
How do you know if a person is infected with E histolytica?
May 2, 2024 · Diagnosing amebiasis can be very difficult. Other parasites and cells can look very similar to E. histolytica under a microscope. If you've been told that you have an E. histolytica infection but you're feeling fine, you might be infected with a different parasite, Entamoeba dispar, or E. dispar. It is about 10 times more common worldwide.
Apr 17, 2023 · Those infected by Entamoeba are mostly colonized by either E. histolytica or E. dispar. E. histolytica is the pathogenic form and can cause amoebic colitis and extraintestinal amoebiasis. E. dispar is considered to be nonpathogenic and causes no signs of disease.
- Arthur Chou, Richard L. Austin
- 2023/04/17
- Overview
- Who is at risk for amebiasis?
- What causes amebiasis?
- What are the symptoms of amebiasis?
- How is amebiasis diagnosed?
- Exams and tests
- What treatments are available for amebiasis?
- How can I prevent amebiasis?
- What is the outlook for people with amebiasis?
Amebiasis is a parasitic infection of the intestines caused by the amoeba Entamoeba histolytica, or E. histolytica.
The symptoms of amebiasis include loose stool, abdominal cramping, and stomach pain. However, most people with amebiasis won’t experience significant symptoms.
Amebiasis is common in tropical countries with underdeveloped sanitation. It’s most common in the Indian subcontinent, parts of Central and South America, Mexico, and parts of Africa. It’s relatively rare in the United States.
People with the greatest risk for amebiasis include:
•people who have traveled to tropical locations where there’s underdeveloped sanitation
•immigrants from tropical countries with underdeveloped sanitary conditions
•people who live in institutions with underdeveloped sanitary conditions, such as prisons
•men who have sex with other men
E. histolytica is a single-celled protozoan that usually enters the human body when a person ingests cysts through food or water. It can also enter the body through direct contact with fecal matter.
The cysts are a relatively inactive form of the parasite that can live for several months in the soil or environment where they were deposited in feces. The microscopic cysts are present in soil, fertilizer, or water that’s been contaminated with infected feces.
Food handlers may transmit the cysts while preparing or handling food. Transmission is also possible during anal sex, oral-anal sex, and colonic irrigation.
When cysts enter the body, they lodge in the digestive tract. They then release an invasive, active form of the parasite called a trophozoite. The parasites reproduce in the digestive tract and migrate to the large intestine. There, they can burrow into the intestinal wall or the colon.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only about 10 to 20 percent of people who have amebiasis become ill from it.
While most people have no symptoms, amebiasis can cause bloody diarrhea, colitis, and tissue destruction. The person can then spread the disease by releasing new cysts into the environment through infected feces.
When symptoms do occur, they tend to appear 1 to 4 weeks after ingestion of the cysts. Symptoms at this stage tend to be mild and include loose stools and stomach cramping.
In a rare complication of the disease, the trophozoites may breach the intestinal walls, enter the bloodstream, and travel to various internal organs. They most commonly end up in the liver, but may also infect the heart, lungs, brain, or other organs.
If trophozoites invade an internal organ, they can potentially cause:
•abscesses
Your doctor may suspect amebiasis after asking about your recent health and travel history.
It can be difficult to diagnose amebiasis because E. histolytica looks a lot like other parasites, such as E. dispar, which is occasionally seen with E. histolytica but is generally considered nonpathogenic, meaning it’s not associated with disease.
The following tests may be performed to check for the presence of E. histolytica:
•Most commonly, you may have to provide stool samples for several days that will be screened for the parasite. This is because the number of amoebas may vary from day to day and may be too low to detect from just one stool sample.
•A stool test called enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is often performed to detect E. histolytica antigens.
•Using a blood sample or nasal swab, a molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test may be performed to distinguish E. histolytica from other infections.
•Your doctor may also order blood tests to help determine if the infection has spread beyond your intestines to another organ, such as your liver.
•When the parasites spread outside the intestine, they may no longer show up in your stool. Your doctor may order an ultrasound or CT scan to check for lesions on your liver.
If tests detect the presence of E. histolytica, amebiasis needs to be treated regardless of whether you’re experiencing symptoms or not.
If tests only detect E. dispar, another amoeba that may cause amebiasis, treatment is generally not warranted since it’s nonpathogenic.
The treatment generally consists of the following:
•If you have symptoms, you’ll follow a 10-day course of the antiamoebic drug metronidazole (Flagyl) that you’ll take as a capsule, followed by an antibiotic such as diloxanide furoate or paromomycin.
•Your doctor may also prescribe medication to control nausea if you need it.
•If you do not have symptoms, you may be treated with antibiotics.
Proper sanitation is the key to avoiding amebiasis. As a general rule, thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom and before handling food.
If you’re traveling to places where the infection is common, follow this regimen when preparing and eating food:
•Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before eating.
•Avoid eating fruits or vegetables unless you wash and peel them yourself.
•Use bottled water and soft drinks from sealed containers.
•If you must drink tap water, boil it for at least 1 minute, or use a store-bought “absolute 1 micron” filter and add disinfecting chlorine, chlorine dioxide, or iodine tablets to the filtered water.
Amebiasis generally responds well to treatment and should clear up in about 2 weeks.
If you have a more serious case where the parasite appears in your internal tissues or organs, your outlook is still good as long as you get appropriate medical treatment.
Amebiasis (Entamoeba histolytica) is an infection caused by an amoeba. Symptoms include bloody stools, abdominal pain, weight loss, fever, and gas. Treatment may involve taking luminal agents or antibiotics. Surgery may be indicated for various reasons.
Infection with Entamoeba histolytica (and E.dispar) occurs via ingestion of mature cysts from fecally contaminated food, water, or hands. Exposure to infectious cysts and trophozoites in fecal matter during sexual contact may also occur. Excystation occurs in the small intestine and trophozoites are released, which migrate to the large intestine.
Jan 4, 2023 · Amebiasis is a gastrointestinal disorder caused by a single-celled parasite called Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica), which is spread through human feces. People can get infected with this parasite by consuming contaminated food or beverages. When the parasite gets into your colon, it can cause symptoms such as cramping and diarrhea.
You may worry that people will find out you have it or that you won’t get better. But having amebiasis doesn’t mean you did something wrong. It’s an infection caused by Entamoeba histolytica , a parasite found in food and water contaminated by stool.
