Korean J Pediatr Infect Dis.  2007 May;14(1):111-115. 10.14776/kjpid.2007.14.1.111.

A case of amebiasis in the newborn period

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Seoul Adventist Hospital, Seoul, Korea. indiangardner@hotmail.com

Abstract

Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica) is a worldwide protozoan parasite causing a wide rage of intestinal disease in human, including asymptomatic cyst carriage, acute diarrhea, fulminant dysentery, and chronic nondysenteric colitis. Extraintestinal amebiasis such as hepatic abscess also occurs. Spread of the infection occurs due to consumption of food and water that is contaminated with the cyst. Amebiasis is rarely reported in the newborn period. We report a case of a 6-day-old female newborn with watery diarrhea that progressed to bloody mucoid diarrhea with persistent fever. The fresh stool microscopic examination disclosed E. histolytica trophozoites. She was born of spontaneous vaginal delivery at 41 weeks of gestation after premature rupture of membrane. She was given breast-feeding after birth, then entered postpartum care center. Her mother's stool microscopic examination showed negative result. Infection might have occurred from giving sweetened water following birth or contamination of the baby's bottles at the postpartum care center. She was treated with oral metronidazole for 24 days.

Keyword

Entamoeba histolytica; Newborn

MeSH Terms

Amebiasis*
Colitis
Diarrhea
Dysentery
Entamoeba histolytica
Female
Fever
Humans
Infant, Newborn*
Intestinal Diseases
Liver Abscess
Membranes
Metronidazole
Parasites
Parturition
Postnatal Care
Pregnancy
Rage
Rupture
Trophozoites
Water
Metronidazole
Water
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