A clinicopathologic study on patients suffering from "chronic dysentery".

ABSTRACT

Fifty adult patients with the self diagnosis of "chronic dysentery" were studied. Their faeces were examined microscopically; they were sigmoidoscoped and their rectal mucosa were examined histologically. Most of them had irritable bowel syndrome. Their sigmoidoscopic appearances were normal and the histology showed only mild increase in the numbers of round cells in the lamina propria. This was regarded as normal for the local population. Ten patients showed cysts of Entamoeba histolytica in the faeces. This was thought to be unrelated to the symptoms. Only four patients had sigmoidoscopic as well as histologic evidence of moderate to severe proctocolitis. One of them was proven to be a case of amoebic colitis. These findings have been discussed.