The organism, which dwells in the colon and rectum, where it produces ulcers and inflammation, primarily afflicts homosexual men and visitors to countries with poor sanitation. This disease produces a gradual onset of symptoms including fever, local bowel tenderness, and cramping abdominal pain. Bowel movements increase, reaching as many as 15 per day. Stools are semisolid to liquid and often carry blood. If microbes invade the liver, the patient will experience tenderness over this organ.
Diagnosis is confirmed by identifying the parasite in a fresh stool specimen.
A successful diagnosis may require examination of several stool specimens. The drug metronidazole almost always cures amebiasis. This parasite is more common in men than in women. It occurs most often among male homosexuals, travelers to Russia and other countries with polluted water, or campers who drink from streams contaminated by beavers and other wildlife. The symptoms of this infection include abdominal discomfort, extreme flatulence, and foul-smelling stools that float.