Antimalarial Drugs
Julian J. Miller in CRC Handbook of Ototoxicity, 2019
Cinchona, which contains a mixture of more than 20 alkaloids, was first documented for medical purposes in the 16th century when it was discovered that the bark of the cinchona tree, found in specific areas of South America, was efficacious in the treatment of fevers. The bark, also well known as Peruvian, Jesuit’s or Cardinal’s bark, has two important constituents, quinine and quinidine. Quinine, an antiprotozoal drug, has long been used in the treatment of malaria. Congenital deafness and hyperplasia of the cochlea have been reported in children whose mothers have received quinine as an antimalarial preparation in pregnancy or as an abortifacient. Chloroquine is one of the 4-aminoquinolines with both antimalarial and anti-inflammatory properties which has been reported as potentially ototoxic. It is used in the treatment of amoebiasis, malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, and discoid lupus erythematosus.
Gastrointestinal Infections
Russell W. Steele in Clinical Handbook of Pediatric Infectious Disease, 2007
Amebiasis is primarily an infection of the colon, caused by the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica. The organism exists both in trophozoite and cyst forms. Small trophozoites are 10 to 20µm in diameter and are not associated with invasiveness. Large forms are usually found in the presence of invasive disease and range from 20 to 60µm in diameter. The presence of ingested red blood cells in the endoplasm of a large trophozoite is the most reliable morphologic feature in identifying the organism as E. histolytica. The cyst form measures 10 to 20µm in diameter and contains between 1 and 4 nuclei (as contrasted with Entamoeba coli which contains 4 to 8). Cysts transmit disease and are resistant to drying, cold, and routine chlorination of water.
Diloxanide
Urban Hellgren, Orjan Ericsson, Orjan Ericsson, Lars L Gustafsson in Handbook of Drugs for Tropical Parasitic Infections, 1995
Diloxanide furoate: MW 328. Neutral compound. Almost insoluble in water. Protect from light. Pharmacology and mechanism of action Diloxanide is a dichloroacetanilide derivative that was introduced in 1956. It is amoebicidal in vivo and in vitro. It is highly effective in asymptomatic patients passing cyst forms. Sufficient data are not available on its efficacy when used alone in acute amoebiasis (1).
Learning from the research on amebiasis and gut microbiome: Is stimulation by gut flora essential for effective neutrophil mediated protection from external pathogens?
Published in Gut Microbes, 2019
Koji Watanabe, William A. Petri
Amebiasis, caused by intestinal infection with Entamoeba histolytica, is one of the leading causes of parasite infection-related mortality and morbidity globally. Although its pathogenesis, including determinant factors of infection outcome, remains unclear, recent clinical data indicate that the gut microbiome plays a role in determining the severity of amebiasis. Recently, we investigated the effects of the gut microbiome on neutrophil mediated protection from E. histolytica infection using a mouse model. We identified that surface expression of CXCR2 on neutrophils was diminished in mice with dysbiosis, which resulted in decreased neutrophil recruitment to the infection site, allowing more aggressive intestinal tissue damage by E. histolytica. Our results indicated that oxidase activity during E. histolytica infection was also diminished after dysbiosis, consistent with the results from prior research. Thus, the gut microbiome plays an important role in regulating neutrophil phenotype when fighting against external pathogens.
An Unusual Cause of Unilateral Hydronephrosis: Invasive Colonic Amebiasis
Published in Renal Failure, 2012
Okay Pirti, Erdem Koçak, Osman Güler, Gülay Koçak, Canan Altunkaya, Muzaffer Çaydere, Seyfettin Köklü
A 62-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with complaints of abdominal pain and rectal bleeding. Although the colonoscopic examination was highly suggestive of a carcinoma, the histopathological examinations were consistent with chronic inflammation. CT examination revealed a solid lesion from cecum to the ascending colon with right urethral invasion. Percutaneous right nephrostomy was performed for grade 2–3 hydronephrosis. Three days after hospitalization, ileus developed and right hemicolectomy was performed. During surgery we observed that the lesion had invaded the middle part of ureter. So the middle part of ureter was removed with side-to-side urethral anastomosis and 6F double-J catheter was placed. The histopathological findings of resected specimen were consistent with ameboma. Reviewing the literature unilateral hydronephrosis due to colonic amebiasis has not been reported.
When IBD is not IBD
Published in Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 2018
Bram Verstockt, Séverine Vermeire, Gert Van Assche, Marc Ferrante
Entamoeba histolytica colitis can mimic Crohn’s disease. However, a fulminant infection can be life-threatening, especially after exposure to systemic steroids. We present a case of the patient who was initially diagnosed with ileocolonic Crohn’s disease, but developed a hepatic E histolytica abscess while undergoing anti-TNF therapy. After revision of the initial diagnostic biopsies, the diagnosis was questioned and E histolytica was confirmed using PCR and histopathology. As intestinal amoebiasis is the most common form of amoebic infection, care should be taken in case of refractory IBD or at initial diagnosis in patients who travelled to endemic areas. We therefore discuss the epidemiology, clinical features, diagnostic tools and pathophysiology of E Histolytica in order to raise awareness among gastroenterologists treating patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Constipation
- Dysentery
- Fatigue
- Gastrointestinal Tract
- Amebic Dysentery
- Protozoan Infections
- Amebic Liver Abscess