The amoebiasis is a parasitic infection caused by entamoeba histolytica, whose natural habitat is the large intestine. As estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO), every year more than 500 million people suffer from this disease, which causes between 40,000 and 110,000 deaths.
Although, as the (SEMI) explains, this parasite can live in it without producing any symptoms or discomfort. However, “in some cases, it invades the colonic wall and causes colitis, acute dysentery, or prolonged (chronic) diarrhea.”
The infection “can also spread through the bloodstream to the liver. Rarely, it can spread to the lungs, brain, or other organs.”
Although it is much more common in areas with poor sanitation, it “occurs worldwide” and “most common in Africa, Mexico, South America, and India.”
How is it spread?
the parasite entamoeba histolytica It can spread through contaminated food or water. The most common form of contagion is through person-to-person contact “particularly by contact with the mouth or rectal area of an infected person, and the risk is greater if there is alcoholism, cancer, malnutrition, being elderly, a child, or the pregnancy”.
However, only one in 10 infected people will develop symptoms. In the acute phase, as SEMI emphasizes, “it can last from weeks to months, the patient presents severe abdominal pain and .” This condition can also become chronic, with bouts of diarrhea and constipation, and can lead to death.
Infection can be avoided with proper personal and nutritional hygiene (washing hands before and after cooking, eating, defecating…) and with good handling of fecal water. “And also know that anal sexual practices should be delayed until a complete recovery.”
symptoms of amoebiasis
The most common symptoms of amoebiasis infection are:
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Diarrhea.
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Abdominal pain.
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Fever.
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Anemia (low hemoglobin level).
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Weightloss.
If the parasite spreads to other organs, in this case it is called extraintestinal amebiasis, and produces the following symptoms:
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Jaundice (yellowing of the skin, eyes and mucous membranes).
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Cough.
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Abdominal pain.
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Fever.
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Diarrhea.
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Enlargement of the liver.
How is it diagnosed
In addition to the clinical manifestations, amoebiasis can be diagnosed through blood or stool tests. “Asymptomatic human infections are usually diagnosed with direct demonstration of parasite cysts in feces,” the specialists point out.
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“Antibody levels are higher in patients with liver abscesses. Serology begins to be positive about two weeks after the initial infection. The most recent screening procedures include a test that detects the presence of amoebic proteins in stool, and other samples.
In the event of any symptom, a doctor should be seen, since if the disease worsens, complications can occur that can lead to death, such as intestinal perforations or cutaneous amoebiasis. In the worst case, abscesses in the liver, lungs or heart.
Treatment
First, an antimicrobial drug is administered to kill the amoebas. Subsequently, another antibiotic to eliminate the parasite cysts.