Amebiasis
(amoebic dysentery)

What is amebiasis?

Amebiasis is an illness caused by infection with a microscopic parasite called Entamoeba histolytica. The illness can be mild or severe and it usually affects the intestines. Examination of feces under a microscope is the best way to diagnose amebiasis. Sometimes, several samples are examined because the number of parasites excreted in the feces can change from day to day.

How do you get it?
Amebiasis is transmitted person-to-person when fecal material (solid wastes) from an infected individual contaminates the food or water that another person eats or drinks. Amebiasis is also transmitted by sexual contact with an infected person. Infected individuals are the only reservoirs for the parasite.

What are the symptoms of amebiasis?
The symptoms of amebiasis vary with the individual. Some persons may become seriously ill while others have either mild or no symptoms. The mild form of amebiasis is characterized by nausea, diarrhea, weight loss, tenderness in the stomach region, and occasionally, fever. Some people with amebiasis may carry the parasite for periods lasting from several weeks to a year or more, often without any symptoms. In rare instances, the parasite can cause more serious infections, such as liver disease.

When do symptoms start?
The symptoms usually appear 2 to 4 weeks after infection with the parasite, but the onset may range from a few days to a few months.

What is the treatment for amebiasis?
Antiparasitic medications can be prescribed by a doctor to treat amebiasis.

If you get amebiasis once can you get it again?
Yes. Certain individuals are susceptible to reinfection. However, a person's own defense mechanism tend to resist reinfection in most cases, and most persons harboring the organism do not develop disease.

Should an infected person be excluded from work or school?
No. For most persons, staying home from work or school is not necessary. However, persons who work as food handlers, child care providers, and those involved with patient care, should not serve or handle food until given permission to do so by their doctor or the Department of Health.

How can you keep from getting it?
Wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet, especially before preparing or eating food.

Avoid drinking untreated water from ponds, lakes, or streams. Boil or chemically treat drinking water of questionable quality.