Abstract
Stool examinations forEntameba Histolytica were performed in 72 patients with chronic abdominal symptoms and in 149 asymptomatic controls. The prevalence of amebae in the symptomatic group was 9.7% and in the control group 11.4%. All symptomatic subjects received a course of antiamebic therapy, after which their stools were examined again for amebae, and their symptoms reevaluated without knowledge of parasitologic findings. When amebae were found, there was no correlation between the effects of therapy on the amebae and its effect on the symptoms. Even when amebae were not found, many patients experienced symptomatic relief after therapy. A review of data from other studies, as well as from our own findings, led us to question the existence of the clinical syndrome, termed “chronic amebiasis.”
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Faust EC, Russell PF, Jung RC: Craig and Faust's Clinical Parasitology. Philadelphia, Lea & Febiger, 1970
Steinitz H, Talis B, Stein B:Entamoeba histolytica andDientamoeba fragilis and the syndrome of chronic recurrent intestinal amebiasis in Israel. Digestion 3:146–153, 1970
Stein B, Talis B:Entameba histolytica andDientamoeba fragilis in a survey of 7863 stool samples. Dapim Refuiim 18:52–57, 1959
Elsdon-Dew R: The epidemiology of amoebiasis. Adv Parasitol 6:1–62, 1968
Sapero JJ: Clinical studies in non-dysenteric intestinal amebiasis. Am J Trop Med Hyg 19:497–514, 1939
Miller MJ, Gilani A: Clinical significance of non-dysenteric intestinal amebiasis. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 45:131–136, 1951
Oseasohn RC, Garfinkel BT, Benenson AS: The symptom-complex of non-dysenteric intestinal amebiasis. Gastroenterology 31:246–250, 1956
Schapiro MM: Entamoeba histolytica. Incidence in the Central Penitentiary, Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Milit Med 124:196–204, 1959
Ettinger-Tulczynska R: Intestinal parasites in the Rehovot district before and after Arab evacuation. Harefuah 44:59–61, 1953
Sulman FG, Rabinovitz K, Bergner-Rabinovitz S: Stool examination of food handlers. Harefuah 39:48–49, 1950
Maythar Z, Schneur R: Laboratory diagnosis of vegetative forms of amebae in man. Dapim Refuiim 18:168–172, 1959
Eschar J, Schiff I, Yaron V, et al: Infection withEntameba Histolytica and the clinical syndrome of amebiasis. Incidence in a general hospital in Israel. Isr J Med Sci 4:1254–1259, 1968
Paulson M, Andrews J: The role of symptoms and signs in amebiasis. Ann Intern Med 13:64–67, 1939
Howard JT: The clinical significance of the carrier state in amoebiasis. Am J Dig Dis 6:506–509, 1939
Kessel JF, Lewis WP, Pasquel CM, et al: Indirect hemagglutination and complement fixation test in amebiasis. Am J Trop Med Hyg 14:540–550, 1965
Neal RA, Robinson GL, Lewis WP et al.: Comparison of clinical observation of patients infected with E. H. with serological titers of their sera and virulence of their amoebae to rats. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 62:69–75, 1968
Kotcher E, Miranda M, de Salgado VG: Correlation of clinical, parasitological and serological data of individuals infected with Entamoeba Histolytica. Gastroenterology 58:388–391, 1970
Faust EC: Amebiasis in the New Orleans population as revealed by autopsy examination of accident cases. Am J Trop Med Hyg 21:35–48, 1941
Walker E.L, Sellards AW: Experimental entamoebic dysentery. Philipp. J. Science 8:253–332, 1913
Wilmot AJ: Clinical amoebiasis. Oxford, Blackwell Scientific Publications. 1962
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gilat, T., Hadas, N., Haberman, R. et al. Chronic amebiasis. Digest Dis Sci 17, 37–42 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02239257
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02239257