First report of Entamoeba histolytica infection from Timor-Leste--acute amoebic colitis and concurrent late development of amoebic liver abscess in returned travellers to Australia

Clare B Nourse; Jennifer M Robson; Michael R Whitby; Josh R Francis

doi:10.1093/jtm/tav027

First report of Entamoeba histolytica infection from Timor-Leste--acute amoebic colitis and concurrent late development of amoebic liver abscess in returned travellers to Australia

J Travel Med. 2016 Feb 8;23(2):tav027. doi: 10.1093/jtm/tav027. Print 2016 Feb.

Authors

Clare B Nourse¹, Jennifer M Robson², Michael R Whitby³, Josh R Francis⁴

Affiliations

¹ Infection Management and Prevention Service, Lady Cilento Children's Hospital, Brisbane, Faculty of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, [email protected].
² Department of Microbiology, Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, Brisbane.
³ Greenslopes Private Hospital, Brisbane.
⁴ Department of Paediatrics, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin and Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT.

PMID: 26858275
DOI: 10.1093/jtm/tav027

Abstract

This communication reports invasive amoebic colitis and late onset amoebic liver abscess in three members of a group of 12 Australian travellers to Timor-Leste (TL). This is the first report of Entamoeba histolytica infection from TL. Clinicians in Australia need to consider amoebiasis in the differential diagnosis in travellers returning with colitis, abdominal pain and fever. Presentation with amoebic liver abscess months after exposure is rare but should be suspected in symptomatic individuals with a relevant history of travel.

Keywords: Amoebiasis; Entamoeba histolytica; Timor-Leste; liver abscess.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Adult
Australia
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Humans
Liver Abscess, Amebic / diagnosis*
Liver Abscess, Amebic / diagnostic imaging
Liver Abscess, Amebic / pathology
Male
Middle Aged
Timor-Leste / ethnology
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Travel Medicine