Amoebiasis - Overview, Symptoms, causes

Amoebiasis is also termed as amoebic dysentery. It is usually caused by a protozoan that is named Entamoeba histolytica. They normally live inside the human's large intestine and help produce eggs which then pass out with the stool and result in diarrhoea. It is transmitted in areas where there is poor sanitation which allows the contamination of drinking water and food with the stool of the people. It is most common in some of the Indian continents and also in parts of Central and South America. Amoebiasis is one of the important biology topic from the chapter Health and Diseases CBSE class 12th. It has a weightage of around 1-2% of the total marks in the exams like NEET, Paramedical and Pharmacy.

People who are at risk of Amoebiasis

Amoebiasis is caused by several reasons, some of the major ones discussed below. There are certain conditions which allow the parasite to grow itself and spread the Amoebiasis disease.

• Travelers of tropical regions.

• People who come from areas that have poor sanitary conditions.

• People who are living in developing areas lack clean water and proper sanitation infrastructure.

• Healthcare workers who are exposed to infected patients or contaminated environments.

• Food handlers who are in contact with contaminated food especially in underdeveloped areas.

• People engaged in oral-anal sexual practices with the infected person.

• People who have weak immune systems and are prone to other diseases also have a high risk of Amoebiasis.

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Pathway of Amoebiasis in the Human Body

This disease is generally caused by a protozoan named Entamoeba histolytica.

Life Cycle of Entamoeba Histolytica ( Amoebiasis)

The life cycle of Entamoeba histolytica is described below which will give you a better understanding of how it grows inside the human body.

Symptoms of Amoebiasis

Symptoms of Amoebiasis are often confused with different diseases. Some of the major symptoms and their explanations are given below:

Diagnosis of Amoebiasis

Infection of Amoebiasis can occur in several parts of the body. This is the only reason why several tests and diagnosis methods are used to get accurate treatment. Some of the major ones are described below:

Prevention of Amoebiasis

There is no certain way through which you can completely avoid Amoebiasis. But there are certain measures which you can take to prevent Amoebiasis. Some of these are mentioned below:

• Access to safe and clean drinking water.

• Hands must be washed regularly with soap and water.

• Avoid consuming food from unhygienic places.

• Avoid eating foods which are unwashed and produced raw.

• Use proper sanitation facilities.

• Dispose of the sewage properly to prevent contamination.

Medications for Amoebiasis

Amoebiasis is normally treated with a combination of different medicines at a single time. It is generally advised to visit a doctor to eradicate the parasite from your intestine and also other infected tissues and organs. Some of the commonly used medications are mentioned below:

• Metronidazole or Tinidazole: Generally used to kill the E.histolytica present in the intestine and other tissues.

• Paromomycin: One of the luminal agents which is used to eradicate parasites from the intestine.

• Diloxanide Furoate: Another luminal agent which is used for eliminating cyst carriers.

• Dehydroemetine: Used in severe cases of extraintestinal Amoebiasis and especially in the case of liver Abscess.

• Chloroquine: Used with the combination of other drugs to treat Liver Abscess

Tips, Tricks, and Strategies to Prepare for Amoebiasis

It becomes really difficult to remember everything. The solution to this problem is to remember key points using some of the tricks. Some of them are mentioned below:

AMOEBIASIS: Important Points

• A: Amoeba - caused by a protozoa Entamoeba histolytica.

• M: Migration: A parasite which migrates to the large intestine and causes damage to the colon.

• O: Outbreaks: Common diseases in the areas with poor sanitation.

• E: Exposure: Transmitted through contaminated food and water.

• B: Bloody diarrhoea: One of the major symptoms which includes diarrhoea with blood.

• I: Infection: Can lead to extra-intestinal infection like liver Abscess.

• A: Antigen: Diagnosed using stool test for antigen presence.

• S: Symptoms: Symptoms can be from mild to severe.

CYSTS: life cycle of E.histolytica

• C: Cysts: Come from contaminated food and water

• Y: You: Humans are one of the Primary careers of the cysts.

• S: Survive: Cysts can survive in the human body for months.

• T: Trophozoites: Active form of protozoa which causes disease.

Types of Questions Asked on Amoebiasis

During the preparation of the chapter, there are different types of questions asked about Amoebiasis in different kinds of exams. The table given below contains the different patterns of questions asked in different exams.

Weightage of Amoebiasis in Different Entrance Exams

In the table below the weightage of Amoebiasis is discussed according to different year question papers of different entrance exams.

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