Small bowel (small intestine) - Entamoeba histolytica

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Small bowel (small intestine)

Infectious disorders

Entamoeba histolytica

Reviewer: Hanni Gulwani, M.D. (see Reviewers page)
Revised: 17 December 2012, last major update August 2012
Copyright: (c) 2003-2012, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

General
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● Dysentery causing protozoa that can also cause fulminant colitis; causes up to 100,000 deaths per year (Trop Biomed 2011;28:194)
● Increased incidence in homosexual men and AIDS patients

Pathophysiology
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● Fecal-oral spread
● Amoeba invade colonic crypts, burrow into lamina propria, create flask shaped ulcer with broad base
● 40% invade portal vessels, embolize to liver and cause abscesses up to 10 cm
● May activate apoptosis in target cells (Trends Parasitol 2011;27:254)
● Rare abscesses in lung, heart, kidneys, brain

Life cycle

Micro images
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Various images

Amoebic colitis, numerous trophozoites of amoeba are noted (courtesy of Dr. Hanni Gulwani)

Amoebic colitis, PAS stain (courtesy of Dr. Hanni Gulwani)

End of Small bowel (small intestine) > Infectious disorders > Entamoeba histolytica

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