Fulminant amoebic colitis among children in Basrah

ABSTRACT

Fulminant amoebic colitis studied in 11 established cases in Basrah, southern Iraq during 1992-1997. Age of patients varied from 6 months to 10 years. There were 7 males and 4 females. All patients presented with abdominal pain [90%], diarrhea [80%] and abdominal distension [65%]. Despite the absence of signs of peritonitis all patients were found to have transmuralr colonic disease with perforation of the colon at one site. In 5 patients resections of the diseased bowel was carried out. The non resectional procedure was done among 3 patients while the remaining 3 patients were unfit for surgical intervention. The overall mortality recorded was [54.5%]. Malnutrition and chemotherapy delay are an important factors contributing to the high mortality