Amoebic colitis is a condition running its course with tenesmus (painful straining) and bloody stools, as a result of the damage done to the lining of the bowel by the parasite called Entamoeba histolytica; sometimes the disease enters the blood and can spread as far as the liver.
In patients who have ulcerative colitis, this parasite infects the bowel far more often than it does in normal people, and causes the complaints of the ulcerative colitis to increase.
The diagnosis is made by seeing amoebic trophozoites in the stool (amoebic cysts can be seen in normal people too, but the presence of trophozoites is the sign of amoebic disease). Sometimes the diagnosis is difficult, and a test for amoebic antigen in the stool may be asked for.
Anti-amoebic drugs are used in treatment (ciprofloxacin and the metronidazole group). Uncommonly there is infection with an amoeba resistant to these drugs, and for this Humatin (paromomycin) tablets should be used.
Sources
- Prof. Ali Tüzün İnce, MD — Kadıköy Endoscopy Center archive