Amoebic Dysentery

Dysentery is an infectious disease. It can be distinguished by inflammation of the intestine, diarrhea along with stools containing mucus and blood, as well as abdominal pain. Transmission of dysentery happens through the ingestion of contaminated food and water. There are two major types of dysentery: bacillary dysentery and amoebic dysentery.

Amoebic Dysentery 

As the name suggests, Amoebic dysentery is caused by amoebas. It is alternatively called intestinal amebiasis and is caused by the protozoan Entamoeba histolytica.

Amoebic dysentery is predominantly found in tropical areas. It is often much more covert and chronic than the bacillary type of dysentery. Hence, it’s harder and trickier to treat.

Amoebic Dysentery Meaning

Amoebic dysentery meaning can be described as a disease in which intestinal organs get infected. This often leads to severe diarrhea and the presence of mucus and blood in the feces. Erosion of intestinal walls often accompanies the infection.

The first case of amoebic dysentery was documented in the ’80s, more specifically 1975. The detailed description of the disease wasn’t noted until 1891. Cases of amoebiasis are found worldwide, though most of them occur in the developing world. Approximately 480 million people are currently infected with it, and 40 million new cases are observed every year with significant symptoms.

Around 40,000 to 110,000 deaths are reported each year due to amoebic dysentery. Most infected people, about 90%, produce no symptoms, but this disease is likely to become serious.

Amoebiasis is caused by tissue destruction prompted by the E. histolytica parasite. E. histolytica causes tissue damage in three ways:

• Inflammation
• Direct host cell killing
• Parasite invasion

How does one get affected by Amoebic Dysentery?

A person gets infected by amoebic dysentery when the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica enters the person’s body. It is usually transmitted in poor sanitary conditions due to food and drinking water being contaminated with feces in such areas. Around 40% who suffer from diarrhea could have amoebic dysentery.

Transmission:

Amoebiasis usually gets transmitted through the fecal-oral route; however, it could also transmit indirectly due to contact with contaminated objects or hands and also by anal-oral contract.

Infection is spread when you ingest the cyst form of that parasite. A rigid and semi-dormant structure is found in feces.

Amoebic dysentery is one type of traveler’s diarrhea; however, most forms of traveler’s diarrhea are viral or bacterial in origin. This type of dysentery is more common than the other type: bacillary dysentery.

Amoebic Dysentery Symptoms

Amoebic dysentery or amoebiasis requires a medical diagnosis for actual detection. But several symptoms can be indications of infection.

Gastrointestinal amoebic dysentery symptoms:

• Diarrhoea which is bloody, watery, or contains mucus
• Flatulence is the passing of gases through the back passage
• A constant urge to pass stool
• Bleeding from the rectum
• Constipation is trouble in passing stool. This may be caused as stool may be too dry or hard to pass.
• Black tarry stool

Pain Areas:

• In the abdomen
• Pain in the belly

Amoebic dysentery Symptoms experienced in the whole body

• Extreme tiredness throughout the body, fatigue
• Fever that comes and goes and chills
• Nausea leading to loss of appetite
• Dehydration: A prolonged spell of diarrhea or ejection through vomit would make the body lose more fluid than it can consume
• Weight-loss: Since appetite is reduced, less food is consumed, which causes weight loss in the patient

Rare amoebic dysentery symptoms:

• Liver abscess: Sometimes when the parasite’s invasion spreads beyond the intestines. This causes a much more severe infection to the liver. Collection of pus forms in the liver.

Diagnosis

Detection of amoebic dysentery generally requires a medical diagnosis. Colonoscopy makes it possible to detect tiny ulcers between 3mm–5mm.

However, diagnosis may get complicated as the mucous membrane between such areas could look inflamed or healthy.

It may be possible to identify trophozoites at the edge of the ulcer or inside the tissue using immunohistochemical staining with specific anti-E.histolytica antibodies.

Asymptomatic human infections can be generally diagnosed by finding cysts shed in the stool. Serological tests also exist, for which most infected individuals (symptomatic or asymptomatic) test positive for the presence of antibodies.

Treatment of Amoebic Dysentery:

While treating amoebic dysentery, nitroimidazole drugs are used. Nitroimidazole drugs kill amoebas in the wall of the intestine and the blood as well as liver abscesses. These drugs include metronidazole (Flagyl) and tinidazole (Tindamax, Fasigyn). Metronidazole is usually given for 10 days, either directly into the veins or by mouth.

To kill the amoebas and the cysts that are confined to the intestine, three drugs called luminal drugs are used:

• Iodoquinol (Diquinol and others)
• Paromomycin (Humatin)
• Diloxanide furoate (Furamide)

However, you should consult a health care professional if you have continuing diarrhea, mainly if it contains mucus and blood.

Conclusion

Amoebic dysentery is a more chronic and dangerous type of dysentery leading to inflammation of intestinal organs. It is usually transmitted through the fecal-oral route in areas with poor sanitation and a limited supply of clean water. Its symptoms may include bloody diarrhea containing blood and mucus, pain in the abdomen, loss of appetite, and weight. It can be medically diagnosed through colonoscopy, immunohistochemical staining, and serological tests. Prevention of Amoebic dysentery can be done by avoiding the purchase of raw food from endemic areas, thoroughly washing hands, and regularly cleaning your bathroom. It can be treated with the help of Nitroimidazole drugs.