Socioeconomic status, clinical features, laboratory and parasitological findings of hepatic amebiasis patients--a hospital based prospective study in Bangladesh

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 2000 Jun;31(2):399-404.

Abstract

Socioeconomic status, clinical, laboratory and parasitological features of 31 hospitalized amebic liver abscess (ALA) and 8 amebic hepatitis (AH) patients were studied. Thirty-seven (94.9%) of the total 39 cases were from low socioeconomic class and 2 (5.1%) were from middle class (p<0.001). Sixteen (51.6%) ALA and 5 (62.5%) AH patients were admitted with duration of disease for 3 weeks or more. Twenty-one (67.7%) ALA and 3 (37.5%) AH cases gave no previous history of diarrhea or dysentery. Epigastric pain was the predominant symptoms in 71% patients compared to high fever (19.4%), nausea and vomiting (9.7%). Neutrophilic leukocytosis was found in 9 (29.0%) ALA and 2 (25%) AH cases. Raised alkaline phosphatase was the predominant abnormal liver function test found elevated in 22 (71.0%) ALA and 5 (62.5%) AH cases. Three (7.7%) of the 5 (12.8%) microscopy positive stool samples yielded growth of Entamoeba histolytica in culture. The right lobe was involved in 28 (90.3%) ALA cases; 29 (93.5%) patients had single abscess. Bacterial super infection was observed in 1 (12.5%) abscess, reactive changes in right lung was observed in 6 (19.4%) ALA and 1 (12.5%) AH cases. Ascaris lumbricoides was the predominant associated intestinal parasite.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Bangladesh / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Entamoeba histolytica / growth & development
  • Entamoeba histolytica / isolation & purification
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Female
  • Hepatitis / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis / parasitology
  • Hepatitis / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Liver Abscess, Amebic* / epidemiology
  • Liver Abscess, Amebic* / parasitology
  • Liver Abscess, Amebic* / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Sex Distribution
  • Socioeconomic Factors