Spectrum of Amebiasis in Children

Screening for intestinal parasites in recently arrived children from East Africa

“…While none of the children was symptomatic, four pathogenic parasites detected in these children, hookworm , Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica ( E. histolytica ) and Hymenolepis nana, can cause gastrointestinal illness of varying severity and consequence, and treatment is recommended regardless of symptomatology 1 . Latent infection is well described in E. histolytica infection 16 . One difficulty in determining the significance of the presence of E. histolytica in the stool is that approximately 90% of the organisms identified are actually Entamoeba dispar, which is known to be non‐pathogenic 17 .…”

“…1 Latent infection is well described in E. histolytica infection. 16 One difficulty in determining the significance of the presence of E. histolytica in the stool is that approximately 90% of the organisms identified are actually Entamoeba dispar, which is known to be nonpathogenic . 17 Routine testing to determine this on a fresh stool sample by an ELISA technique was not available during the study, and in future this test is likely to result in fewer children receiving unnecessary treatment for E. histolytica.…”

Mecanismos fisiopatogênicos e diagnóstico laboratorial da infecção causada pela Entamoeba histolytica

“…Em seguida, os indivíduos infectados passam a apresentar múltiplas evacuações mucóides e de pequeno volume, podendo-se observar diarréia aquosa profusa com presença de sangue, dor abdominal, perda de peso, anorexia e febre em 40% dos casos (5,57) . A invasão da mucosa colônica pelos trofozoítos pode levar a hemorragia macroscópica e ser detectada também em crianças sem histórico de diarréia (5,42,63) . Ocasionalmente a colite amebiana evolui para perfuração da parede intestinal, podendo apresentar íleo paralítico e deslocamento da mucosa, caracterizando-se um quadro de colite fulminante (8,9,21,25,42,105) .…”

Gastrointestinal Infections

“…This includes some areas in the southwestern regions of the United States and Central America. Recently, amebiasis was the fourth leading cause of death in Mexico City 254. The diagnosis needs to be sought aggressively and early.…”