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Amebiasis - Symptom

Alternative Names

Amebic dysentery; Intestinal amebiasis

Symptoms:

Most people with this infection do not have symptoms. If symptoms occur, they are seen 7 to 10 days after being exposed to the parasite.

Mild symptoms:

  • Abdominal cramps
  • Diarrhea
    • Passage of 3 - 8 semiformed stools per day
    • Passage of soft stools with mucus and occasional blood
  • Fatigue
  • Excessive gas
  • Rectal pain while having a bowel movement (tenesmus)
  • Unintentional weight loss

Severe symptoms:

  • Abdominal tenderness
  • Bloody stools
    • Passage of liquid stools with streaks of blood
    • Passage of 10 - 20 stools per day
  • Fever
  • Vomiting

Signs and tests:

Examination of the abdomen may show liver enlargement or tenderness in the abdomen.

Tests include:

  • Blood test for amebiasis
  • Examination of the inside of the lower large bowel (sigmoidoscopy)
  • Microscope examination of stool samples, usually several days apart
  • Reviewed last on: 9/15/2010
  • David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Schuster FL, Glaser CA. Amebiasis. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 373.

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